Secret Hen House Theatre

Since the death of her mother, Hannah's family life has been somewhat chaotic. Her father is absorbed by running their dilapidated farm, and the four children are increasingly left to their own devices. But when the farm is threatened with demolition, Hannah determines to save it and realize her dreams at the same time. "This is a farm, not a theatre," snapped Hannah's father. "Now get out of that mud, girl." Since the death of her mum, Hannah's family life has been a bit of a mess. Her father works all day, every day, on their falling-to-bits farm, and the four children are pretty much left to themselves. While her younger brother keeps an eye on the tractors and her sisters look after Jasper the enormous pet sheep, Hannah finds a rickety old hen house on the edge of the farm. She decides to turn it into a theatre and put on a play that she's written herself. But then the farm is threatened with demolition. Hannah hatches an even more ambitious, top secret plan to help save her family's home and livelihood. Who can she trust? And what will happen when her dad finds out? A funny, moving story from an exciting new author. Beloved Waterstones Prize-shortlisted novel by Helen Peters about the ups and downs of running a family farm AND trying to stage a secret play in a secret hen house theatre! Since the death of her mother, Hannah's family life has been somewhat chaotic. Her father is absorbed by running their dilapidated farm, and the four children are increasingly left to their own devices. These include "farming" each room of the house, looking after an enormous pet sheep called Jasper, and writing and directing plays in a disused hen house. But when the farm is threatened with demolition, Hannah determines to save it and realise her dreams at the same time... Shortlisted for the Waterstones Prize, this is a brilliant story of eccentric family life where the children's imaginations run as free as the farmyard animals. From the award-winning author of Evie's Ghost, Anna at War, The Farm Beneath the Water and the Jasmine Green series for younger readers, this is perfect for fans of Eva Ibbotson, Emma Carroll and Frank Cottrell Boyce This edition is reissued with a beautiful new cover.