The Unbelievable Biscuit Factory

Although Haddie’s day starts usually with ‘hecks’ from her mother as she exercises, it careers sideways shortly afterwards. Although Normalton’s biscuit factory’s sirens are blaring warnings, its residents are accustomed to the sound. What’s more Haddie has a band practice to attend at the Community Centre. It’s where her guitar, El Jirafa Tremendo, lies waiting. Furthermore, the Community Centre has ‘toilets and plug sockets and Wi-Fi and a vending machine that sells pickled- onion- flavoured things’. What’s not to enjoy?

Actually, there’s not a lot of time to enjoy anything, for a couple of (invented) chords into Alpaca Waka Waka and there are unholy noises. What’s more they’re accompanied by the building caving in with the arrival of huge, orange, fluffy monsters. They’re closely followed by Biscuit Factory staff urging everyone that ‘there’s nothing to see here‘ and ushering them away. Although they say ‘everything’s all right‘ rather like the open-top red buses that gather up the Normalton residents, Haddie is not all right. Her guitar is trapped in the community centre. She’s being pacified falsely by a biscuit factory minion. What’s more it’s obvious there’s an emergency…

As Haddie investigates further, breaking protocol and gathering up an action- hero (rabbit) ManMan prepared to support her, her indignation and incredulity grow. Everyone in Normalton knows that the biscuit factory does not make biscuits, that it’s a science research factory. So what’s really happening, and how close is the emergency?

The Unbelievable Biscuit Factory is outrageous, clever, sharply paced and narrated by such a confident main character that we’re rather swept along! Yet gee, isn’t that a thrill? Bookwagon loves and recommends this (cookie) cracking story!