Join the Secret Summer gang on an unforgettable magical adventure, full of humour and heart - for fans of THE FAMOUS FIVE and Roald Dahl.
Jack has been dreading the summer holidays - his dad works long hours, and so all he has to look forward to is an empty house. But when his boisterous neighbours, Bruno and Rocco, make it their mission to pull him into an adventure, his life will never be the same again.
Together they decide to explore the strange old house at the top of the hill, long abandoned and overgrown with ivy. But they soon discover the ivy hides more than just walls... the house is full of magical secrets, including a strange girl with no memory, who may hold the key to it all, if only she can remember...
Imaginative and fun-filled, Jack Ryder's first story is inspired by the summer holidays of his childhood and brought to life with glorious black-and-white illustrations by Alice McKinley. Young readers will be spellbound by this heartfelt adventure.
Jack Ryder was cast in the role of Jamie Mitchell in EastEnders at the age of 16, a character he played for five years. He then moved into theatre, performing in plays by Alan Bennett, Tim Firth and David Hare, before going on to direct Calendar Girls, The Full Monty and the West End production of The Band Musical. He played Evan Crowhurst in Holby City in 2019, and in January 2020 he is directing a production of Alan Bennet's The History Boys. It is his lifelong ambition to be a children's book author.