From the moment that Jim and his best friend Charlie bug the staffroom and overhear two of their teachers speaking to each other in a secret language, they know there’s an adventure on its way.

But what does “spudvetch” mean, and why do Mr Kidd’s eyes flicker with fluorescent blue light when Charlie says it to him? Perhaps Kidd and Pearce are bank robbers talking in code. Perhaps they’re spies. Perhaps they’re aliens. Whatever they are, Jimbo and Charlie are determined to find out.

There really is an adventure on its way. A nuclear-powered, one hundred-ton adventure with reclining seats and a buffet car. And as it gathers speed and begins to spin out of control, it can only end in one way . . . with a BOOM!

Note: This book was first published in 1992 under the title Gridzbi Spudvetch! It has now been completely re-written (Mark has changed pretty much every sentence one way or another) and given a new title that is much easier to pronounce!




A funny, pacy adventure that blends a fairly kitchen sink set of family dynamics with some utterly zany fantasy. The whole thing is a pleasure to read and I think probably a pleasure to share reading aloud. There is a big whiff of Roald Dahl anarchy about it, especially in the way the adults are awfully bad or bumblingly hopeless. The children save the day just as children should. A crackling little story.
Jill MurphyThe Bookbag.co.uk

Jim and Charlie hope to find out some playground gossip when they bug the teachers' staff room, but instead they discover some teachers speaking a secret language - and behaving in a suspicious way. So starts a wildly energetic and anarchic adventure involving kidnaps and scooter rides, with the children trying to outwit the evil or incompetent adults (not terribly difficult). Great fun for young readers.
Sally MorrisThe Daily Mail

You may remember Mark Haddon from a rather successful novel he wrote called The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. It was that rare thing: a crossover book that genuinely worked... The public are hungry, there's a contract to fulfil. Bing! Why not dust off an old book, give it a brand-new title, a snazzy orange cover, attach a self-depricating author's preface complete with a 'heart-warming' tale about a class (that's one class) of children who want to see the book back in print? And Boom!, wait for the spondulicks to roll in.

Or in this case, perhaps not. This might be because of the exhausted plotline... It might be because its hero, Jim, has the personality of a wet flannel. It might be because the 'jokes' are thin on the ground...

Boom! is readable and zany, but in today's crowded world of children's books...others produced far finer work without a tenth of the attention given to Haddon, it's just not good enough.
Philip WomackThe Daily Telegraph

Originally published in 1992, this recently re-written rollercoaster ride of an adventure follows Jim and Charlie's epic voyage to uncover the mystery of their teachers' peculiar behaviour. Are they spies, or aliens...?
Junior Education PlusJunior Education Plus

One to read aloud is Mark Haddon's BOOM! It tells the story of Jim, who bugs the staff room and discovers that some of his teachers might be aliens. This leads to an intergalactic adventure on a planet called Plonk, with a giant disco-fan of a spider known as Britney. Jim saves the world, with the help of - or in spite of - his annoying teenage sister and her spotty boyfriend.
Nicolette JonesThe Sunday Times

An explosive adventure.
Bookseller, Children's Buyer's Guide

A light-hearted, rollicking read that shows just how versatile and original Haddon is... this has freshness and originality that really works.
Claire LarsonReadplus.co.uk

This is a gripping, exciting, pacey story with a clever mix of drama and humour.
Debbie WiliamsPrimary Times (London Editions)

…energetically paced adventure story.
Books for Keeps

This is a marvellous mystery, full of laughs and surprises. You can't help being drawn into the thrilling, fast-paced MI High meets Doctor Who style adventure.
Alison CharltonUnison

Imaginative, funny and fast paced story that will make you look at your teacher questioningly.
Frances PerkinsBournemouth Daily Echo

Give it to every 7 to 11-year-old boy you know! More please!
Rachel Ayers NelsonThe School Librarian

This is a gripping, exciting, pacey story with a clever mix of drama and humour.
Debbie WilliamsPrimary Times

A hilarious adventure by Mark Haddon, who has an innate and dazzling rapport with his target audience.
Lindsey StainerThe Bookseller

... a funny exciting read.
Carousel

...a thrilling and extraordinary adventure that never loses its momentum. A must-read for age 10 to any age.
Mary ArriganThe Irish Examiner

A hilarious, rollicking story that both girls and boys will enjoy.
Emma Lee-PotterDaily Express

Love reading the widget thingy. Spudvetch!