T. S. Easton

Hands down one of the funniest, most charming books I've read in ages. If you threw Shameless, Skins, Adrian Mole and a bag of yarn into a magical bookish blender, this is what you'd get. It's about a boy called Ben who joins a knitting class as part of his parole after accidentally taking out a lollipop lady with his bike... only to find that he's good at it. Really, really good. It's very British, very funny, very earthy, and anyone who's been to school here in the last fifteen years or so show more will feel right at home with these characters. LOVED IT. show less

Highly amusing knitting related adventure, as related by a very interesting and a-typical narrator, that is: Ben Fletcher, who is frequently dragged both into and out of trouble by his band of delinquent friends, who is serving out a probationary term after a somewhat nutty bicycle-related incident, and who likes to keep a journal, keep track of several crushes, and has recently discovered the mathematical joy of knitting. Weird, funny, excellent.

An unwilling accomplice to petty theft organized by his dim friends, English teen Ben Fletcher is annoyed that he was the one busted when he collided with a crossing guard.

Probation requires him to keep a journal using a template, which he considers beneath him, as he’s been keeping a diary for years. But he soldiers on, hilariously recounting the details of the “Great Martini Heist” and its aftermath. He’s also required to take a community college class. The pathetic choices include show more car maintenance, taught by his father, a mechanic who’s always trying to get Ben (not a sports fan) to go with him to soccer matches. Ben opts for knitting because he has a crush on the teacher. When it turns out she’s actually teaching pottery, he’s stuck with knitting and stuck in a lie, unable to admit to his father and friends what he’s up to. It turns out that he’s a natural at knitting, able to appreciate the mathematical precision of the patterns and create his own. When Ben’s coerced into entering a knitting contest, the jig is up. Despite some unnecessary Americanization of the text, this wonderfully funny novel is infused with British slang, including dozens of terms easily understood in context.

Wacky characters, a farcical plot and a fledgling romance are all part of the fun in this novel that will appeal to fans of Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging . (Fiction. 12-16)
(Kirkus Review) show less

I'm a knitter, so I'm pleased they got the knitting right (give-or-take the hero's preternatural speed and ability!). This was a charming, funny little book--it made friends with me right away, and was pretty much unputdownable until finished.

The plot is pretty basic--Ben, through a series of unlikely events, becomes a knitter, and goes on the knitting equivalent of a quest--but there is such a wealth of well-drawn secondary characters that beautifully complement the main action.

A show more delightful treat.

(Note: 5 stars = rare and amazing, 4 = quite good book, 3 = a decent read, 2 = disappointing, 1 = awful, just awful. There are a lot of 4s and 3s in the world!) show less