The Book

Written by Mike Harris
Published by GW Theatre Company

The Mr Shapeshifter book is filled with vivid illustrations from the animated version of the story created by the Award-Winning Fettle Animation and is based on the GW Theatre stage play that has been touring junior schools nationally for several years to the acclaim of children, staff and parents.

Mr Shapeshifter Book

Mr Shapeshifter controls all the stories in the world, including the one Jess and Jack are in.

The only way to escape is to turn his story into their story…

But how can they do that when Jess hates Jack and Jack can’t even remember what his story was?

Two very different kids band together to defeat a manipulative super-villain who wants to steal their childhood so he can live forever.

The Mister Shapeshifter book can be read in different ways.

At one level it’s a compelling story, a gripping contemporary ‘fairy tale’ with two plucky kids pitted against a very powerful and very spooky ‘super villain’. At another level it’s a metaphor for the ways some adults try to control and abuse kids, and how kids can protect themselves and fight back. Read like this, it’s perfect for starting group discussions about some of the most difficult issues around.

And here’s what some children’s author’s think about it:

“A fast-paced, exciting story that deals with very real contemporary issues in a children-friendly way. A great read for older primary children and year 7’s in secondary schools. It’s also a great discussion starter about a threat that increasingly challenges children, families, schools and society at large”
David HarmerAuthor of ‘The Monster In The Garden’ and many other books for leading Childrens’ publishers
“Vivid, pacey and unsettling… it’s about how friendship can conquer the most powerful foe”
Livi MichaelAuthor of ‘The Whispering Road’ and winner of numerous awards for her fiction for young people
“Scary, sinister and fun. A great story about how we are influenced by the stories people tell us. It will keep you on the edge of your seat.”
Lesley GlaisterAuthor of the children’s book ‘Aphra's Child’ and winner of The Somerset Maugham, Betty Trask, and Jerwood Fiction awards