The Book of Legends: A hilarious and fast-paced quest adventure from bestselling comedian Lenny Henry

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Following the mysterious disappearance four years ago of their father, twelve-year-old twins Bran and Fran are living with their mum in a small Midlands town. A] celebration of the vitality of storytelling, The Book of Legends made me laugh, made me teary, left me happy and hopeful.

He co-hosted the children's programme Tiswas from 1978 until 1981, and subsequently performed and wrote for the show Three of a Kind, with comedians Tracey Ullman and David Copperfield. She encouraged him to move over to the fledgling alternative comedy scene, where he established a career as a stand-up comedy performer and character comedian. In his drive for greater inclusivity, the author was inspired to learn sign language himself and to feature a deaf character in the form of Bran. This book is as laugh-out-loud funny as you’d expect, but it’s also packed with super-charged thrills, characters you really care about and a whole lot of heart.At least the stories Mum tells them, the tales of the Nine Dominions, provide some much-needed consolation. In both this and his first children’s book, ‘The Boy With Wings’, Henry focuses upon young black characters, and is consciously addressing the lack of diversity in children’s literature. Lenny is a strong advocate for diversity, using his voice to give talks on the subject all over the world. While intended for readers aged 8 and older, I feel that like many Middle Grade books it will appeal to readers of all ages. Their mother’s book will provide a portal to transport them there on a quest to solve the mystery of their parents’ double-disappearance and reunite the family.

Lenny Henry ensures his stories have strong black representation and this novel has two strong and adventurous heroes with the twins. Lenny’s on screen credits include Broadchurch, The Syndicate, The Long Song and the biographic film Danny and The Human Zoo. Wildebeeste (a homage to Teddy Pendergrass using the 'TP' initials), Brixton pirate radio disc jockey DJ Delbert Wilkins and Trevor MacDoughnut (a parody of Trevor McDonald). His formative years were spent in working men's clubs, where his act was as a young black man impersonating white characters such as the Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em character Frank Spencer (whom he impersonated on New Faces).This is a pacy fantasy adventure, jam-packed with groan-making jokes, and touchingly dedicated to Lenny Henry’s own childhood local library in Dudley. has seen further book commissions with a follow-up memoir in the pipeline, two books on the topic of diversity, and a series of children's books published through Pan Macmillan.