Boys on the Brain
JEAN URE
Illustrated by Karen Donnelly
HarperCollins Children’s Books An imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd. 1 London Bridge Street London SE1 9GF
First published in Great Britain by HarperCollins Children’s Books 2001
Text copyright © Jean Ure 2001
Illustrations © Karen Donnelly 2001
The author and illustrator assert the moral right to be identified as the author and illustrator of the work.
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Source ISBN: 9780007113736
Ebook Edition © OCTOBER 2010 ISBN: 9780007401628 Version: 2016-12-12
For Eleanor Warren, who writes wonderful letters
Contents
Copyright
Tuesday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Three years Later…
About the Author
Also by The Author
About the Publisher
(1st day of winterterm)
Honestly! Mum is impossible. She is obsessed with boys. She has boys on the brain.
First thing she says to me, over tea: “Guess who I travelled in with this morning? Brad Sullivan!”
Not, “How was school?” or “Who’s your new class teacher?” or “What’s your timetable like?” but Brad Sullivan.
“He’s turning into a really nice boy,” said Mum.
I felt like saying, “Feel free! He’s all yours!” But Mum has such rotten taste in men she might just take me at my word. My mum and Brad Sullivan! I can just see it. And then, what about poor old Harry? He’d be out on his elbow.
On the whole I do feel that Harry is a Good Thing. The first decent bloke she’s ever had. I wouldn’t want her ditching him. So I restrained my worst impulses and said, “Really?” in a polite but yawny sort of way, hoping that she would get the message. The message being that I do not want to hear about Brad Sullivan. Or about any other boy, come to that. I am sick of the whole subject!
Instead, I tried talking about school. I said, “I’m so relieved! Me and Pilch are both in 9C.” I’ve been worried, just lately, that they might split us up. “We’re together for almost everything,” I said. “Oh, and we’ve got Mrs. Adey for English again!”
“Have you!” said Mum. “That’s good!”
To be fair to her, she did try to take an interest, but in the end temptation overcame her. As usual! The opposite sex just dra-a-a-aws Mum like a magnet.
“Brad was telling me,” (she goes) “how he’s joined this new youth thing. They’re going to put on musicals.”