The Tin Snail - Tapa dura

"Half-silly, half-serious and full of human interest."--The Wall Street Journal

Get ready for a wild ride with this classic and fun World War II adventure about a boy who helps invent a car the Nazis would love to get their hands on!
 
Thirteen-year-old Angelo knows that his father’s job is in jeopardy. Only one thing can save it: inventing a car the world has never seen before. On vacation in the French countryside, Angelo gets an idea. So far, cars have only been made for the rich. Someone should create a car for everyday working people. Angelo thinks he’ss up to the challenge!

After a lot of failures, and some rather painful crashes, Angelo, with help from his friend Camille and some other villagers, builds a prototype that just might work.

But testing it won’t be easy—especially when war is declared and he finds out the Nazis are planning to steal his design! This funny adventure will have you speeding through the pages. So buckle up and enjoy the wild ride!

"Kids will appreciate Angelo's confident, headlong enthusiasm and his hilarious mishaps driving across pocked fields, while adults will enjoy the new angle on both automotive and war history."--Kirkus Reviews

"An unusual look at a much-studied historical period . . . Black-and-white chapter-heading illustrations are a charming addition."--Booklist

"A feel-good story about the French Resistance that might very well inspire more than a few designers and engineers.--School Library Journal
 
“A captivating book for young people of all ages.” —T.E. Carhart, bestselling author of The Piano Shop on the Left Bank
 
“Charming.” —The Guardian
 
“A thoroughly engaging read.” —The Spectator
 
“Feel-good, funny, romping, filmic adventure.” —The Sunday Times
 
“A fantastic family read.” —Mr Ripley’s Enchanted Books
 
“Refreshingly different and very engaging.” —Reading Zone
 
“A delightful book.” —Historical Novel Society
 
“Unusual and delightful.” —Parents in Touch
 
“I loved this delightful novel. It’s intended for middle grade readers but people of all ages will love it.” —The Bookbag

Cameron McAllister is a TV scriptwriter and has worked on shows such as Robinson Crusoe, Spooks Code 9, Primeval, and Emmerdale. He grew up near the beaches of Cornwall, England, and now lives in Brighton with his wife, four sons, and Floss the dog.

Sam Usher's debut picture book, Can You See Sassoon?, was nominated for the Kate Greenaway Award and shortlisted for the Read It Again! Award, the Waterstones Children's Book Prize, and the Red House Book Award. Sam lives in North London with an eighty-eight-year-old housemate and spends his time playing the piano, trespassing, and drawing in his favorite cafe.