Win! 1 of 2 copies of Take Me To Your Leader – Times

Can Lucas pull off staging an alien encounter and save his tiny nation college from closure?

Eleven-year-old Lucas has acquired a brand new fear so as to add to his lengthy, lengthy checklist – his rural college is on the Ministry of Schooling’s checklist for closure.

What’s his mum going to do if he and his sister have to begin travelling to a faculty an hour or two away? She will be able to’t drive them; she definitely can’t afford boarding college charges and already works lengthy hours in a poultry processing plant to maintain the household going.

If the college closure goes by means of, they may have to maneuver to town. And there’s no manner Lucas will ever go away his dad’s grave behind.

He and his buddies provide you with a mad concept to revive their city and save their college – they stage an alien encounter.

Earlier than they realize it, vacationers are flocking in to take a look at the crop circles and it appears to be like just like the plan may work. However there’s additionally the car with tinted home windows that appears to be following them round – why would it not be enthusiastic about a gaggle of nation schoolkids?

Earlier than Lucas is aware of it, he’s misplaced management of his plot, and a series of unpredictable (and infrequently hilarious) occasions that observe are shortly turning to chaos!

Agnew informed the Instances she acquired the thought a few years in the past, after watching a information merchandise on TV about rural faculties protesting their closure.

“That acquired me serious about the methods youngsters may try to maintain their college open. Youngsters might be so resourceful,” mentioned Agnew.

“I knew the apparent reply was to create companies that might entice employment, however that felt somewhat dry.

“Nevertheless, I’d additionally had the thought of youngsters flying a kite which will get mistaken for a UFO.

“The concept of youngsters faking UFO and alien sightings led to a a lot funnier story however one which, I hope, additionally speaks about friendship and the significance of supporting communities.”

We’ve two copies to divulge to two fortunate readers.

Entries shut April third