The Boy Who Drew the Future
£8.99
By Rhian Ivory
Published September 2015 | ISBN 9781910080269
Two teenage boys, over a 150 years apart, have the same gift or curse — they draw things that come true. Blaze, orphaned and living alone in 1865 swaps his pictures for protection, with threats of the workhouse and witch trials hanging over him. In the present day, Noah tries all he can to stop drawing, but the more he fights, the more it takes over. He is used to everyone, even his parents, being afraid of him and is desperate not to be seen as a freak at his new school. But as he gets closer to Beth, will he give himself away? One boy hiding in the past, one in the present, can their futures set them free?
3 in stock
Praise for the book
Nominated for the CILIP Carnegie Medal 2017
Shortlisted for the Cumbria Schools Book Award 2016
Shortlisted for the Calderdale Children’s Book of the Year 2016
Shortlisted for the Shropshire Teenage Book Awards Book of the Year 2017
Shortlisted for the Wirral Children’s Paperback of the Year 2017
Selected as one of the Telegraph’s Best Young Adult Books of 2015
‘Rhian Ivory’s book is FREAKING MINT. It gave me the feeling I had when I was young reading a book & being so captivated by it I was transported somewhere else.’ Rae Earl
‘Tense, atmospheric, creepy and romantic. I loved The Boy Who Drew the Future.’ Lee Weatherly
‘Noah, Blaze and their compelling, intertwined stories will stay with you long after the final page’ Ruth Warburton
‘A strange but utterly compelling story’ Kirkland Ciccone’s top teen reads for Christmas 2015, Daily Record
‘Tense, and creepy, there are real thrills in this absorbing story… We want things to work for Noah, but there’s a very real sense that they might not and Rhian Ivory maintains the tension until the very end.’ Lovereading4kids
‘The two stories are told in alternating chapters, and a school trip to the old Victorian workhouse links the stories from present and past, providing an exciting climax to the story.’ Books for Keeps Book of the Week, 4 stars
‘The Boy Who Drew the Future has a very interesting premise and it is very clever how Ivory has chosen to show the similarities and differences in attitudes towards what could be called psychic ability in the past and present day. The Boy Who Drew the Future is an enjoyable read and there is an excellent balance between the present day and the historical, which should appeal to many young readers, as should the school setting in Noah’s narrative.’ We Love This Book
‘Written in short pacey chapters, alternately from each boy’s perspective, the novel is gripping as the tension mounts. The protagonists are trapped by their fear of condemnation as outsiders or freaks, and their search for safety and acceptance is one that will resonate with many young adults. Settings are fascinatingly drawn, particularly the horror of the workhouse tunnels. The interweaving of the boys’ stories is revealed piece by piece, creating a compelling and moving mystery. This haunting tale of two boys linked by a special gift will stay with you for a while once you’re finished. Subtle in its telling, The Boy Who Drew The Future draws you in with its intriguing build up and then ruins you emotionally by the end.’ Armadillo Magazine
