The Youngstars

Format: eBook

The Youngstars. First published by Inside Pocket and now available as an eBook .

Set in England in 1936, a teenage troupe of performers tour the Variety theatres of the industrial North.

Stammering Ollie suffers most at the hands of their bad tempered manager, Theodore Pigott, aptly nicknamed ‘The Pig’.

When a fortune-teller sees a ‘Stranger’ entering his life, Ollie is sure his luck is set to change. The stranger turns out to be more familiar than he could ever imagine – and potentially more dangerous.

The troupe descends on the great seaport of Liverpool, where the Youngstars are about to give their biggest performance yet. Here a secret more remarkable than the acrobats, knife-throwers, dancers and actors who make up the cast begins to unravel, and a mystery, where dreams and reality collide, is solved.

Reviews

The Youngstars is a melodrama featuring a teenage troupe working for almost nothing on the variety theatre circuit in 1936 ….. Lots of detail about working on the boards, including a glossary of theatrical terms, lend extra authenticity to an endearingly rollicking tale.
Nick Tucker, The Independent On Sunday

A real page-turner that won’t disappoint.
Julia Eccleshare, Lovereading4kids

A remarkable secret is exposed and an intriguing mystery unfolds in the pages of this gripping novel. It is superbly written with many elements of comedy
Parents In Touch

An adventure for everyone from twelve to a hundred and twelve… a book that I would definitely recommend
Mr Ripley’s Enchanted Books

A very visual novel at times slapstick and hilarious and sometimes poignant and tragic
Amazon Vine Reviewer

An exciting and captivating book
Families Magazine

An absolutely ripping yarn, just the kind of adventure story you want to keep reading / Rollicking, complicated, messy and pretty enthralling sums it up! Funny and absorbing, too
Amazon Vine Reviewers

The Youngstars is a fast paced and exciting book, and Jones manages to create an authentic impression of 1930’s Britain through the eyes of young performer Ollie…. The characters are varied and lively, and often hilarious. The combination of vivid description, dynamic characterisation, comedy and enthralling adventure make for a gripping and entertaining novel. I would urge all children and young teenagers to grab a copy now for an unforgettable read!
Pollylovelyness, The Guardian childrens-book-site