Swarf

What would happen to the world if all the petrol and diesel suddenly changed into green gel – swarfed overnight? How would people respond and what would be the outcomes? The premise of this story is a good one as it asks some big questions that will interest children concerned about green issues, as well as those that just want a story that moves along at a fast pace. Ant, a young teenager, is the main protagonist who finds himself alone with a sick grandmother and no means of getting her to the nearest hospital. He must use all his ingenuity and work with others to succeed. There is plenty of action in this story as ‘swarfing’ happens almost immediately, however, I felt that there was little real chance to get to know the characters and too many sub-plots, such as who is Ant’s grandfather, that detract from the main story.