The Parent Agency

The Parent Agency
David Baddiel

Jim Field

A brilliantly funny, gripping novel - andThe bestselling hardback children’s debut of 2014 - from a born storyteller, The Parent Agency is an epic wish-fulfilment adventure for every child – and for the child in everyone.Barry said, a third time, “I wish I had better parents!” And then suddenly the entire room started to shake…Barry Bennett hates being called Barry. In fact it’s number 2 on the list of things he blames his parents for, along with 1) ‘being boring’ and 3) ‘always being tired’.But there is a world, not far from this one, where parents don’t have children. That’s far too random for something so big and important. In this world, children are allowed to choose their parents.For Barry Bennett, this world seems like a dream come true. Only things turn out to be not quite that simple…Illustrated by Roald Dahl Funny Prize winner, Jim Field.

Copyright (#u11fde976-fcd1-50af-a7cb-c1c22db81c88)

First published in Great Britain by HarperCollins Children’s Books in 2014

HarperCollins Children’s Books is a division of HarperCollinsPublishers

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London SE1 9GF

www.harpercollins.co.uk (http://www.harpercollins.co.uk)

Text copyright © David Baddiel 2014

Illustrations copyright © Jim Field 2014

Jacket illustration © Jim Field

Jacket Design © HarperCollins Publishers Ltd 2014

David Baddiel and Jim Field assert the moral right to be identified as the author and illustrator of the work

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

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Source ISBN: 9780007554492

Ebook Edition © 2014 ISBN: 9780007554515

Version: 2018-09-18

To Ezra and Dolly, with particular thanks to Ez for giving me the idea in the first place…

Contents

Cover (#u2770b3bf-9766-5252-9dc2-94240aad7da9)

Title Page (#ue9712a5f-c19c-58de-b501-4dd02738c98e)

Copyright

Dedication (#u5c8990de-a88b-5538-abc9-f12c5727478c)

Part One: The World is not Enough

Sunday

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Part Two: This World Seems to Be Enough

Monday

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Tuesday

Chapter One