‘In Louis, Pete Johnson has created a boy who makes you laugh out loud.’ The Sunday Times
‘You really care about the characters and want to know how Louis’s adventures will pan out – while you laugh your socks off at the same time.’ The Book Trust
‘Pete Johnson is the unsung hero of entertaining writing, delighting both the proficient and reluctant read.’ Ink Pellet
‘SUPER FUNNY. I ABSOLUTELY LOVED ‘HOW TO UPDATE YOUR PARENTS’ Shelley Fallows
‘This is a hilarious story of dead fish, gorillas with bananas in their ears, poetry, cunning plans and highly legal documents (kind of) Oh and iPads, iPhones and vlogging, of course.
I’m sitting at home, chortling away at ‘HOW TO UPDATE YOUR PARENTS,’ when Ben suddenly looks up from his game pad and asks, ‘Watcha reading Mum …!?’
Not long after he can’t help but come and take a peek. The title alone is enticing and the cover well …’
‘HOW TO UPDATE YOUR PARENTS’ ‘A RIP-ROARINGLY
HILARIOUS ADVENTURE...’
‘HOW TO UPDATE YOUR PARENTS’ is a rip-roaringly hilarious adventure, a brilliant sequel to ‘My Parents Are Driving me Crazy,’ and features tears, bucket loads of snot and some very strange clothes. It also features jokes of this kind of quality. What does a unicorn call his father? Pop. What’s not to like?’ The Book Trust
‘I LOVED HOW TO UPDATE YOUR PARENTS’ Jake Hope
‘I loved ‘How to Update Your Parents.’ It achieves a careful balance between humour and profundity with comments on technology, screen time and the types of recreational activities that children enjoy and seek, that make it both hugely entertaining and enjoyable, but also thought-provoking too.’
Jake Hope – freelance reviewer who has judged all the top awards in children’s fiction.
A GREAT STOCKING-FILLER FOR LATER THIS YEAR
‘I read How to Update Your Parents with my boys to gauge their reactions. They were laughing a lot and loved the You Tube references in the book. We definitely recommend it.’ A Cornish Mum
‘TOPICAL INDEED AND A VERY INTERESTING TOPIC THAT WILL PRODUCE PLENTY OF DEBATE IN FAMILIES.’
‘Louis narrates his story brilliantly and will have his readers in fits of laughter throughout. Parents might like to volunteer to read this to their children – that would be a great excuse for reading this hilarious book.’ PARENTS IN TOUCH
‘I’m looking forward to re-reading this after I’ve read the previous book in the series, which I fully suspect will be just as funny, filled with determination, courage and sheer insanity.’ NAYU’S READING CORNER
‘We are often asked for tips on holding successful author events – from both sides – and since we know Pete is a bit of an expert in this area we caught up with him for some advice.’
‘HOW TO UPDATE YOUR PARENTS’
LAUNCHES
IN GERMANY IN JUNE TOO
The same time as UK fans are catching up with the eagerly awaited ‘HOW TO UPDATE YOUR PARENTS’ – so will German fans but with an exciting twist.
The three other Louis the Laugh books are being relaunched in Germany in hardback this time – alongside ‘HOW TO UPDATE YOUR PARENTS’ with brilliant new covers.
‘This is incredibly exciting,’ says Pete ‘to have all four Louis the Laugh books launching in top new hardback editions – and with such stylish covers too.’
All the Louis the Laugh books are published in Germany by arsEdition.
HIGHLIGHT
OUT NOW: MATE MATCH
How would you like to make up a brilliant new identity for yourself?
That’s what Joe does.
He has never been ‘cool’ or hot until he joins a new dating app called, ‘Mate Match.’ With the help of his sister he turns himself into someone really hot. And then Joe gets a date with the stunning Tania.
What can possibly go wrong? Well …
Hilarious new teen comedy about dating today.
‘Honest and heart-warming tale for modern teenagers from the best-selling author of ‘HOW TO TRAIN YOUR PARENTS.’ Perfectly pitched for digitally obsessed teens, this upbeat comedy explores teen romance in the age of the App and the value of real-life connections.’ Murdoch Books
‘Mate Match’ ‘is a wicked comedy of manners which will have young people snorting with laughter and quite possibly squirming with embarrassed recognition too. 21st century problems examined in an easy to read and revealing short novel.’ Andrea Reece, LoveReading4Kids
SPENCER He promises he will never turn into a teenager in the much loved: ‘DIARY OF AN (UN)TEENAGER’ AND ‘RETURN OF AN (UN)TEENAGER’
Spencer quote:‘If ever I have a girlfriend I’ll meet her in town for just one hour a week. Maybe on her birthday I might take her to McDonald’s as well.
But that’s really all the time I’m going to spend with her. And I’ll never ever let he come to my house. In fact, I won’t even tell her where I live. You’ve got to keep some privacy, haven’t you?’
EDGAR He’s an ‘intellectual’ who wants to be a poet,
in the international best sellers ‘MY PARENTS ARE OUT OF CONTROL ‘MY PARENTS ARE DRIVING ME CRAZY’ ‘HOW TO UPDATE YOUR PARENTS’
Edgar quote:‘We are extremely sorry to inconvenience you but we are protesting about a miscarriage of justice … My poem will explain everything. I shall now read it aloud. It’s only nine verses.’
TALLULAH The girl who loves horror stories in, ‘The Vampire Quartet, beginning with the award-winning, ‘THE VAMPIRE BLOG.’
Tallulah quote: ‘Do you think vampires only exist in stories? If you do, leave this page now and don’t bother coming back either. We have nothing in common and you’re just wasting my time. But if you believe vampires might be real, then read on, as I have great news for you.’
WILL The boy who girls really like but only as a friend – in the top teen title. ‘FAKING IT’
Will quote: ‘Ruth is the first girl I ever kissed. She was a Munchken at the time. So was I. Even then I realised this was a significant moment in my life. That’s why I removed the brace from my teeth first.
Afterwards she said I was just so nice.
No boy likes to be called ‘nice,’ as that usually means you’re wetter than a haddock’s underpants.’
ARCHIE ‘The most annoying geek on the face of this planet,’ (according to Miranda) in the award-winning:
‘TRUST ME I’M A TROUBLEMAKER.’
Archie quote: ‘The funny thing is, I’ve never tried to act grown up. It’s just as soon as I wake up I can feel all this maturity bubbling up inside me. It’s a kind of gift, I suppose. I’ve been given a few extra helpings of wisdom.’
CELEBRATING TWENTY YEARS OF
‘THE GHOST DOG’ ‘The Ghost Dog is a haunting and captivating read which
will keep you hooked to the end.’ BOOK TRUST
‘The Ghost Dog’ isn’t Pete’s first book. But it is his first best-seller. ‘I’d written several books before ‘The Ghost Dog,’ says Pete ‘and they sold okay, without setting the world alight. And then ‘The Ghost Dog’ – just exploded on to the scene – nearly twenty years ago this June.’
‘Weirdly enough,’ says Pete, ‘when I wrote it I’ve never felt so ill. I had a horrible attack of gastric flu and seemed to spend weeks and weeks in bed feeling ghastly. But every afternoon I’d totter out of bed and stagger downstairs and for a couple of hours I was completely caught up in the tale of ‘The Ghost Dog.’
‘The Ghost Dog’ is a horror story about Daniel who makes up a ghost story about a terrifying dog to frighten big-headed Aaron. But each night the ghost dog becomes REAL and haunts nightmares …
Hailed on Amazon ‘as one of the few really frightening children’s books. Every paragraph just brims with juicy intrigue.’ And by Books for Keeps as ‘an exciting and touching story about the power of imagination.’
‘The Ghost Dog’ has never been out of print and has been translated into several languages.
It also won two prizes including, The Young Telegraph Children’s Book of the Year’ which resulted in Pete making his first appearance on Saturday morning television. It is now a top favourite in schools – Edwintree School in Herts, for instance, who use ‘The Ghost Dog,’ as a class reader for Year Seven (Autumn term)
Here are some of the comments from 2015 readers at Edwintree.
‘One of the best things I enjoyed about reading ‘The Ghost Dog’ is the thrill and suspense throughout the whole book.’ Tom Carter
‘The Ghost Dog was gripping at all points and it had an amazing storyline.’ Shane Coyne
‘Everyone wanted to carry on reading ‘The Ghost Dog’ even if it was the end of the day or lunchtime. We would all say, ‘Oh don’t stop.’ Amy Higginbotham
‘The Ghost Dog’ is the best book I have ever read because it has lots of ‘wow’ factor. I like how you leave a cliff-hanger at the end of the chapter. It really encouraged me to read on.’ Rhiannon Cockerton
‘Every so often,’ says Pete, ‘you write a book that seems to have a life of its own. ‘The Ghost Dog,’ is certainly one of those. I feel like a proud parent now as I say, HAPPY BIRTHDAY GHOST DOG.’
THE GHOST DOG’SFAMOUS OPENING The first time I only saw its face. Out of the darkness it came floating towards me. It had evil eyes. Blood poured out of its mouth. It was the ugliest, most horrible thing I had ever seen. And I’d brought it to life ………
THE FIVE FUNNIEST ‘LOUIS THE LAUGH’ MOMENTSchosen by YOU
THEY ARE – IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE:
THE TRULY DISGUSTING SCENE WHEN A PIECE OF CAKE FLIES OUT OF THE HEADMASTER’S MOUTH AND STRAIGHT ON TO LOUIS’S TONGUE. Favourite quote: ‘I did think of somehow spitting it out – but in the end I swallowed it …’
From: ‘HOW TO TRAIN YOUR PARENTS,’ (page 48)
WHEN MADDY DRESSES UP AS LOUIS’S MUM, Favourite quote: ‘It was Maddy’s huge, curly red wig which really caught my attention. She looked as if she had a ginger tomcat perched on her head.’ From: ‘HOW TO TRAIN YOUR PARENTS,’ (PAGES 165-176) WHEN LOUIS’S DAD TURNS UP OUTSIDE HIS SCHOOLDRESSED UP AS A GANGSTER RAPPER. Favourite quote: A voice shouted out of the darkness: ‘Yo everyone hope you had a wicked time. I’m looking for my blood. Is he here?’ From: ‘MY PARENTS ARE OUT OF CONTROL,’ (P.65-69)
WHEN LOUIS GOES ON HIS FIRST EVER DATE WITH MADDY AND COMPARES HER TO ‘THE ELEPHANT WOMAN.’ Favourite quote: ‘Desperate now to talk about something – anything – I said. ‘And your dress is great, sensational. I mean, I can’t tell you how much I like it. I really, really like it. Not that I want to borrow it or anything,’ I laughed wildly.’ From: ‘MY PARENTS ARE DRIVING ME CRAZY.’ (P.50-61) WHEN LOUIS THROWS UP OVER TV HOST, MICKEY BOYD. Favourite quote: ‘My mouth was suddenly ablaze with vomit which exploded out of my mouth so fast, that within seconds I’d totally covered Mickey Boyd in chopped carrots.’ From: ‘MY PARENTS ARE DRIVING ME CRAZY.’ (P.171-176)
With huge thanks for all your votes.
Click here to read Pete's answers to your questions about Louis, My Parents Are Driving Me Crazy, and what exciting thing happened when he was cleaning his teeth!
"It was a fabulous event – my best ever launch." Click here for Pete's blog about the launch of ‘MY PARENTS ARE DRIVING ME CRAZY’ at The Crucible Theatre, Sheffield.
BOOK CLUB SPECIAL
Pete is a keen supporter of Book Clubs in Schools and Libraries. If your Book Club would like to receive a free early copy of ‘My Parents Are Driving Me Crazy’ – please contact this website at enquiries@petejohnsonauthor.com with contact name and address.
Pete’s all-time favourite children’s book is ‘101 Dalmatians’ by Dodie Smith, so he is delighted to have his picture taken at The Spotted Dog in Flamstead.
DO CHILDREN REALLY NEED A DIGITAL DETOX?
SPENCER 
‘The Ghost Dog’ isn’t Pete’s first book. But it is his first best-seller. ‘I’d written several books before ‘The Ghost Dog,’ says Pete ‘and they sold okay, without setting the world alight. And then ‘The Ghost Dog’ – just exploded on to the scene – nearly twenty years ago this June.’
It also won two prizes including, The Young Telegraph Children’s Book of the Year’ which resulted in Pete making his first appearance on Saturday morning television. It is now a top favourite in schools – Edwintree School in Herts, for instance, who use ‘The Ghost Dog,’ as a class reader for Year Seven (Autumn term) 
THEY ARE – IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE:
With huge thanks for all your votes.
BOOK CLUB SPECIAL