The Unlikely Rise of Harry Sponge

by Mangan, Stephen, Mangan, Anita | Reading age: from c 8 years
Published 27/04/2023 by Scholastic in the United Kingdom
Paperback | 352 pages
129 x 198 x 24mm | 248g

A high-energy, laugh-out-loud, fully illustrated adventure

story by much-loved actor Stephen Mangan and talented artist

Anita Mangan.

Grumpy old King Chisel has a problem.

He needs an heir to his kingdom - fast! So he challenges the best

kids from across the country to compete in the Crown Duels, with

the ultimate winner becoming king or queen. Step forward:

GLORIA SQUAT-FURTHER: champion athlete

HUXLEY BEELINE: mathematical genius

JONNY MOULD: artistic ace

GOSSAMER FOUNTAIN: empathy expert

HARRY SPONGE: ordinary boy. Not to be underestimated.

The ridiculous prime minister, Farting Bernie, is in charge and

the contest swiftly descend into chaos. Who will rise to the top

and survive wild sabotaging, saggy royal pants, the most disgusting

meal ever invented, and a pair of frisky goats?

The wildly funny, brilliantly silly adventure

from the bestselling author and illustrator of Escape the Rooms

and The Fart That Changed the World.

Wildly funny, delightfully imaginative storytelling with a message

that any kid can be a hero!

Packed with pictures by Stephen Mangan's sister

Anita Mangan.

Escape the Rooms and The Fart That Changed the World

have been huge bestsellers: Stephen and Anita are comic

dynamite.

Praise for Stephen and Anita's first book, Escape

the Rooms:

'A brilliant, clever, kind of genius book' Graham

Norton, Virgin Radio

'Richly imagined and deeply heartfelt' Hadley

Freeman, Guardian

'Manages to feel both classic and modern at the same time'

Good Housekeeping

'A beautiful and exciting adventure that ignites the imagination'

Edith Bowman

Stephen Mangan is an author, script-writer and

actor with huge range across TV, radio, film and theatre. From

classic comedy such as Green Wing,

Episodes and I'm Alan Partridge

and acclaimed drama such as The Split,

Stephen also presents Portrait and Landscape

Artist of the Year and regularly appears on

stage, most recently as a highly praised Ebeneezer Scrooge in A

Christmas Carol. Stephen also voiced the

title role in Postman Pat: The Movie.

He has been a member of the judging panels for the Costa Book of

the Year prize and The Laugh-Out-Loud Awards (The Lollies). His children's

books are the bestselling Escape the Rooms and

The Fart that Changed the World.

Anita Mangan is a celebrated graphic designer

and illustrator who has designed over 60 books including for Leon

Restaurants, Gizzi Erskine and Fearne Cotton. She illustrated the

best-selling Be a Unicorn series. Her first children's

book was the bestselling Escape the Rooms.