The Blockbusters – at a glance
The School Reading Lists’ five word review: Identity, home, fame, safety, family.
Children’s book title: The Blockbusters.
Children’s author: Frank Cottrell-Boyce.
Genre: Children’s fiction.
Published by: Macmillan Children’s Books.
ISBN: 9781035033874.
Recommended for children aged: 9-11 year-olds.
First published: Hardback May 2025.
This children’s book is ideal for: children who like a mystery or are interested in film making and movie stars.
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Our review:
Rafa Rush lives with his mum and older brother, Cillian, in a nice little house in Liverpool until the landlord decides he wants it back. With nowhere else to go, the boys are sent to stay with their Uncle Miles while their mum is busy with other things. The brothers have to change schools, and Rafa finds himself in a small class with new friends: Quiz (she asks a lot of questions), film fan Arvin, and Mabel, who always tells the truth, as well as a teacher called Ms Greenwood.
Rafa is going on a school trip, and as usual, his brother takes him to school. Unbeknownst to Rafa, Cillian then disappears as he has a plan to put in place for both of them later. When the group arrives at the Shakespeare North Playhouse (Ms Greenwood is a BIG Shakespeare fan), they are shocked to find out it’s closed for the day! Everyone is very disappointed until they discover it’s because actual filming is taking place for an actual film with an actual Hollywood star, which is Arvin’s dream come true! The day has become amazing, and that’s before Rafa finds himself being used as the body double for the main star of the movie!
When BB, the actual star, decides to secretly swap places with Rafa because they do really look alike, the amazing becomes unbelievable! With not even Rafa knowing where their star is, he finds himself filming a major scene for the movie, travelling in a limousine, and a private plane, going to BB’s California mansion, and attending the Oscars in Hollywood! By the time he owns up to what has happened, Rafa has lived his best life—or he would have if only his mum and brother had been there too!
Our verdict:
The mistaken identity trope is often used in fiction, but that doesn’t matter if the storyline is exciting, fast-paced, and well-written, and this story is all those things. This is a book full of surprises. Things happen to the main characters that they could never have imagined, and the message throughout is very positive.
Rafa’s family is loving and caring, but the stability of their lives together is shattered when they lose their home, and with nowhere else to go, Rafa and his big brother Cillian find themselves living with their uncle and sleeping head to toe each night in a single bed! The various occurrences that lead Rafa into his adventure, and the way everyone pulls together to keep his secret, are heartwarming, while his new school classmates experience some of the deprivation suffered by school-aged children in this country every day. The ending, which has a major curveball, is satisfyingly right.
Teaching points and book club discussion ideas:
- Rafa and Cillian live a happy, loving life with their mum but have to move in with their slightly unenthusiastic uncle when they lose their home. How would it feel to have to move, change schools, and make new friends all at the same time?
- How does Cillian help Rafa feel more confident each day? What would you have done to help?
- Uncle Miles isn’t delighted to have the boys move in with him. What does he gradually do that shows he might be getting used to having them around?
- Rafa has to share a bed with Cillian, but Arvin doesn’t have a bed at all. How will that affect their everyday life, especially when they’re at school?
- Quiz is a very surprising character. What clues were there throughout the book that gave you a hint to her identity? Did you go back and reread some parts after you discovered everything? If you had to put her in your own story, how would you describe her?
- If you were going to be the star of your own movie, what would you call it? Who would you want to be in it with you?
- This book is full of surprises; what happened to Rafa, where BB ended up and with who, what mum was doing, who Quiz really was, to name just a few. Which surprise was the biggest for you? Did you work any of them out before they were revealed?
Many thanks to Macmillan Children’s Books for the review copy.
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