What This Book Is About
Finn Jones is dead when the book opens. The story belongs to Eric, his twelve-year-old best friend, who has to work out how to live in a world without him.
Then Eric starts getting messages that appear to come from Finn. Finn was a famous prankster, so Eric follows the instructions in them, hoping that the death was one last prank and that his friend is somehow still alive.
Simon James Green writes the kind of comedy that makes you laugh out loud on the bus: sharp, warm, and never mean. It is also, squarely, a book about grief, and it does not pretend otherwise. Funny and moving at the same time, and your child will not want to put it down.
Available at Popular bookstores, Kinokuniya, and the Singapore National Library.
Why We Recommend This Book
A standout B1 book that builds English fluency through laughter. Three reasons this book earns its place on the list.
First, the British humour and colloquial dialogue expose students to the informal registers they meet in social situations, films, and online—the kind of everyday English that textbooks do not teach but real conversation requires. For students at international schools in Singapore, where British English is the predominant standard, that exposure is especially valuable.
Second, it gives students a way into a subject that is hard to raise directly. The book is about a boy's grief for his best friend, carried by comedy rather than solemnity, which is what makes it a book 11- and 12-year-olds will actually read and talk about.
Third, at Lexile ~760L this is a light, fast-paced read that builds confidence for B1 students. Students who finish this book feel like they "can read in English," which is the single most important mindset shift for long-term language development.
Reading Level Guide
Challenging at A2. Try The Fourteenth Goldfish or El Deafo first to build up reading skills.
Perfect difficulty. Funny enough to keep you reading, challenging enough to keep you growing.
Easy and fun at B2. Enjoy it as a light read, then try Prisoners of Geography (Illustrated Young Readers Edition) for something weightier.
Other UWC Recommended Books for This Grade
Not sure if this book is right for your child? Take our free English assessment to find their CEFR level, then choose books that match.