'It's not really kidnapping, is it? He'd have to be alive for it to be proper kidnapping.' Kenny, Sim and Blake are about to embark on a remarkable journey of friendship. Stealing the urn containing the ashes of their best friend Ross, they set out from Cleethorpes on the east coast to travel the 261 miles to the tiny hamlet of Ross in Dumfries and Galloway. After a depressing and dispiriting funeral they feel taking Ross to Ross will be a fitting memorial for a 15 year-old boy who changed all their lives through his friendship. Little do they realise just how much Ross can still affect life for them even though he's now dead. Drawing on personal experience Keith Gray has written an extraordinary novel about friendship, loss and suicide, and about the good things that may be waiting just out of sight around the corner ...
This book is the winner of numerous awards
This book is part of a book series called Nelson Thornes Page Turners .
This book has been graded for interest at 12-17 years.
This book was published in 2008 by Penguin Random House Children's UK .
Almost every Keith Gray novel has been shortlisted or won a major award. Creepers and Warehouse have been shortlisted for The Guardian Prize and The Runner won the Smarties Silver Medal in 2002. He lives in Edinburgh.
This book contains the following story:
Ostrich Boys
'It's not really kidnapping, is it? He'd have to be alive for it to be proper kidnapping.' Kenny, Sim and Blake are about to embark on a remarkable journey of friendship. Stealing the urn containing the ashes of their best friend Ross, they set out from Cleethorpes on the east coast to travel the 261 miles to the tiny hamlet of Ross in Dumfries and Galloway. After a depressing and dispiriting funeral they feel taking Ross to Ross will be a fitting memorial for a 15 year-old boy who changed all their lives through his friendship. Little do they realise just how much Ross can still affect life for them even though he's now dead.
This book has been nominated for the following awards:
Nutmeg Book Award - Teen
This book was recognised in the Teen category by the Nutmeg Book Award.
Costa Children's Book Award
The Costa Childrens Book Award is a prestigious literary award that recognizes outstanding children's literature in the United Kingdom. Part of the broader Costa Book Awards, which celebrate excellence in writing across several categories, the award focuses on childrens literature for readers aged up to 12 years. A panel of expert judges reviews submissions to create a shortlist of nominated titles.
The Whitbread Award
This book was recognised by the The Whitbread Award, now called 'The Costa Book Awards'. These are a set of annual literary awards recognising English-language books by writers based in Britain and Ireland. They were inaugurated for 1971 publications and known as the Whitbread Book Awards until 2006 when Costa Coffee, then a subsidiary of Whitbread, took over sponsorship.
Grand Canyon Reader Award - Teen
This book was recognised in the Teen category by the Grand Canyon Reader Award.
