"Children are often the victims when a marriage falters or fails and in RESCUING DAD Pete Johnson illuminates this distressing reality with the perceptive humour which is his trademark.
"Hilarious, thought-provoking and shot through with a strong bolt of reality." Val Randal, Books for Keeps
Pete enjoying himself at a visit to Brooke Weston College, Corby, Northants. Visit arranged by the great Liz Billett, Team Librarian, in conjunction with Corby Learning Partnership. Photo courtesy www.heppdesigns.com
WHY PETE’S BEEN ‘ADOPTED’ AGAIN
A busy time for Pete began with a terrific event on January 25th focusing on The Vampire Hunters, with pupils from three London reading groups, organised by the London Grid for Learning and the ReadingZone. A clip from the event will appear shortly on the Reading Zone website.
Over the next few weeks Pete will be taking part in exciting events across the country, with a series of events with Blackpool Libraries, including a special evening discussing HOW TO TRAIN YOUR PARENTS, with both children and parents! Pete will also be visiting The Surrey Libraries’ Children’s Book Festival as well as, Chelmsford, Middlesbrough, Staffordshire, Ampthill in Bedfordshire and schools and libraries across Hertfordshire.
Meanwhile Pete is delighted to be adopted again by a School in Brighton, as part of the brilliant ‘Adopt an Author’ scheme. The pupils will be reading The Vampire Blog, then their teacher will email Pete their questions and comments and use The Vampire Blog for creative writing. In May Pete will meet the pupils and their teacher at a special event at The Brighton Festival.
On World Book Day Pete is in Derbyshire.
He returns to the East Midlands in April for Leicester Libraries ‘League of Extraordinary Writers’ day.
In June Pete will be back in Leicester at the English Conference, highlighting how his books are being used to stimulate reluctant readers – as well as reluctant writers.
Pete Johnson was "an exciting, memorable and inspirational experience." Kieran, pupil at St Martin’s School, Northwood.
"The children were really inspired by Pete’s visit and the teachers are now doing some follow-up work with them, as they are all keen to pour their hearts out on to paper.’ Dawn Finch, Wheatfields Junior School, St Albans
"Dear Cannock Library, my name is Owen. I am eleven years old and I’m writing to say thank you for letting us meet Pete Johnson at your library. I loved it. I had a great day and would like to come again soon." Owen Thomas
"Thank you so much Pete for visiting our school and a fantastic day. I have got children wandering around the school reading your books. We have also had a great number of parents in to say thank you. One girl went home and told her parents it was the best day of her life." Headteacher, Abbots Ripton C of E Primary School, Huntingdon.
"We were very pleased with Pete’s talk at our conference and have received some really positive comments from the young people about the day, including the following: Really, REALLY GOOD. Pete Johnson was great – really inspirational." Sue Ball, Staffordshire Libraries.
Pete is based in Hertfordshire but travels all over the country. His lively, interactive talks have earned special praise. He also offers Creative Writing Workshops – including much-requested Ghost Story telling workshops. Pete works with both primary and secondary school pupils.
NEWS NEWS NEWS
COMING SOON:A GREAT NEW EDITION OF ‘THE VAMPIRE HUNTERS.’
‘THE VAMPIRE HUNTERS’has been chosenby OUP as one of the newtitles in their acclaimed Rollercoasters series. This will include a reading guide and suggestions for follow-up activities. More details are here at the OUP website.Rollercoasters already publish a special edition of Pete’s ‘HOW TO GET FAMOUS’. Full details here.
PETE’S NEXT BOOK – EXCLUSIVE NEWS
Having now finished The Vampire trilogy, Pete will be returning to his most popular ever book: ‘HOW TO TRAIN YOUR PARENTS.’ ‘I have had so many requests to write a sequel,’ says Pete. ‘But I’ve never had a good enough idea, until now.’ The sequel will be called; ‘MY PARENTS ARE OUT OF CONTROL.’ More details soon, only on this website.
EXCLUSIVE: READING GROUP QUESTIONS ON THE VAMPIRE BLOG AND THE VAMPIRE HUNTERS
"In my opinion ‘The Vampire Blog’ is one of the best books I have ever read."
"I really like ‘The Vampire Blog’ – it is very exciting for girls and boys and the format is unusual."
Just two of the comments sent to Pete by the reading group at Lent Rise Combined School, Slough. Pete says: ‘A number of my books such as ‘Traitor,’ and ‘How to train your Parents,’ are popular with reading groups, but ‘The Vampire Blog,’ and ‘The Vampire Hunters,’ are proving the most popular of all. I love reading all the comments from groups all over the country. Please keep sending me the feedback.’
SUGGESTED QUESTIONS FOR READING GROUPS (Thanks to all the teachers for their help with this)
‘DOESN’T PETE JOHNSON ROCK? – HE IS A REALLY FUNNY WRITER AND HAS MADE SOME OF MY FAVOURITE BOOKS EVER.’ Forum The Chaos Theatre
SIX PETE JOHNSON BOOKS TO MAKE YOU LAUGH OUT LOUD
‘HOW TO TRAIN YOUR PARENTS’ Louis is suffering from parent fatigue – until he meets Maddy who teaches him the four secrets of parent training ...
‘In Louis Pete Johnson has created a boy who makes you laugh out loud.’ Sunday Times
‘THE (Un)TEENAGER BOOKS' Spencer is determined he will never turn into a teenager with hilarious results.
‘Looking for something for someone who’s read the entire Wimpy Kid series. These are the books to choose. Definitely another winner from Pete Johnson.’ Bookmark
‘TRUST ME I’M A TROUBLEMAKER’ What happens when Miranda, the rebel of the school, decides to ‘reform’ it’s biggest swot, Archie.
‘Excruciatingly funny.’ The Times
‘A lovely, funny book.’ School Librarian
‘RUNAWAY TEACHER’ Can a teacher ever be your mate?
A much talked about comedy.
‘Comically tragic. Pete Johnson makes us really care about the characters.’Glasgow Herald ‘Runaway Teacher shows in a simple but brilliant way that teachers can be human too.’ Getting Reading: Reading Matters Blog
‘HELP! I’M A CLASSROOM GAMBLER.’ "All I did at lunchtime was turn into a gorilla. And you can’t tell me that’s against schools rules, because it isn’t." Harvey thinks he’s made an incredible, sensational discovery. Has he really found a secret way to stop school ever being boring again?
WINNER OF TW0 PRIZES.
‘Johnson uses humour to pack a potent message.’ School Librarian
‘RESCUING DAD’ "Maybe I could improve Dad a bit too, sort out his appearance for a start. And teach him how to be a bit more useful about the house. And how to cook a few meals. Up to now all Dad’s cooked in his life is toast. Well, that’s going to have to change." Joe and Claire think they know why Mum chucked Dad out. He’s a mess. Something must be done to transform him into a Dad Mark Two – and fast.
‘Pete Johnson is a wonderful storyteller.’ Evening Standard
THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS FOR THE LAUNCH OF PETE’S MOST EAGERLY AWAITED BOOK
First came The Vampire Blog . . . The award-winning comedy horror story about Marcus, the reluctant half-vampire. “The dialogue really sparkles but a goodly dollop of fangly terror too. Perfect.” Jill Murphy,The Bookbag READ MORE
. . . then came The Vampire Hunters . . . Spencer is determined he will never turn into a teenager with hilarious results.
‘Looking for something for someone who’s read the entire Wimpy Kid series. These are the books to choose. Definitely another winner from Pete Johnson.’ Bookmark READ MORE
AND NOW PETE HAS FINISHED THE FINAL BOOK IN THE TRILOGY . . .
THE VAMPIRE FIGHTERS
Marcus and Tallulah battle the truly terrifying Blood Ghost – and are challenged as never before.
SHOCKING TWISTS AND BIG SURPRISES AWAIT THEM – AND YOU – SOON. Published June 2012.
E-BOOKS LATEST: MY FRIEND’S A WEREWOLF NOW AVAILABLE
Pete’s ‘frighteningly good’ tale of a boy who might be a werewolf is the latest of Pete’s stories to be available as an ebook. Click here for more details …
Also available as ebooks are some of Pete’s best-loved titles, including:
‘HOW TO TRAIN YOUR PARENTS’
‘EYES OF THE ALIEN’
‘TRAITOR’
‘HELP! I’M A CLASSROOM GAMBLER’
‘THE CREEPER’
‘THE FRIGHTENERS’
‘HOW TO GET FAMOUS’
Pete’s current best-selling ‘THE VAMPIRE BLOG’ and ‘THE VAMPIRE HUNTERS’ ARE ALSO AVAILABLE.
A PETE JOHNSON MUST READ: EYES OF THE ALIEN
When Sam has an accident and knocks herself out, she has weird nightmares about a creepy figure with huge eyes. Freddie jokes that aliens must be after her. Then they both see a space ship …
PETE’S ONLY SCIENCE FICTION STORY, FAMED FOR ITS MYSTERIOUS PLOT AND, ’THUMPING GREAT SURPRISE AT THE END.’ The Observer
‘Eyes of the Alien had me hooked from the first chapter. The story kept catching me off guard, especially the ending.' Glasgow Herald
‘My favourite book is Eyes of the Alien. I like this book because it is science fiction, exciting and made me feel good inside. Reviewer Amazon
Eyes of the Alien is also available as an ebook and as an unabridged audio from AudioGo.
THE OFFICIAL PETE JOHNSON WEBSITE!
“Dear Pete Johnson, I am writing to you because our class is studying you as a significant author and you never guess what, you’re fab.”
Each week Pete receives letters like this one from Kane, in Salford, and he takes care to answer them all, as Pete was inspired to become a writer through his correspondence with an author – Dodie Smith, who wrote his all-time favourite children’s book: ‘The 101 Dalmatians.’
Pete has now written over forty books, which have been translated into more than twenty languages. He is best known for his award-winning comedies such as ‘How To Train Your Parents,’ ‘Help! I’m a Classroom Gambler,’ ‘Trust me, I’m a Troublemaker,’ ‘How to Get Famous,’ and ‘Diary of an(Un)teenager’ and thrillers such as ‘The Ghost dog, ‘Traitor, and ‘The Frighteners.’ He has also written highly popular titles for younger readers including, ‘Pirate Brother,’ ‘Bug Brother,’ and soon to be launched, ‘Spook School’ series.
The Times wrote that Pete Johnson provides a ‘heady cocktail of compulsive readability.’ He has also been described by TES as ‘one of our best contemporary humorists,’ and praised for ‘writing about characters that every child will recognise and every adult should try to understand.’ (The Observer)
His key themes include Bullying (‘Traitor,’ ‘The Frighteners,’) Feeling different: (‘Phantom Fear,’ ‘Trust me, I’m a Troublemaker.’) Family Relationships: (‘Rescuing Dad,’ ‘How to Train Your Parents,’ and ‘How Embarrassing is That?’) And the journey from childhood to adolescence: (‘Diary of an (Un)teenager,’ Runaway Teacher,’ and ‘Trust me, I’m a Troublemaker.’)
Pete Johnson lives in St Albans, England. He is a movie fan - both of current films and British and American films from the 1940s and 1950s. He has been a film critic on BBC Radio One, as well as a film extra and teacher of English and Drama. He collects signed books, of which he has several hundred.
Find out here how many of Pete's books are being studied in schools and libraries. Or click here for information about Pete's visits and how to arrange one.
Pete’s ‘frighteningly good’ tale of a boy who might be a werewolf is the latest of Pete’s stories to be available as an ebook. 
