Jayben and the Golden Torch: Book 1

Product Information

Having researched the author on finishing the story I learned that he suffered a traumatic brain injury as a young adult and suffers from seizures and memory loss himself. They say to write what you know, and I think that is why this aspect of the story read very realistically. I think there were just too many new names and plot ideas for the story to be easy to follow - every creature, place and food had a totally unfamiliar and unusual name, and whilst this was interesting it meant it interrupted the flow of my reading constantly trying to remember what was what!

Jayben and the Golden Torch by Thomas Leeds | Goodreads

For all the brilliant non-fiction resources there are to help a child cope with a brain injury and epilepsy, I believe they need help through fiction just as much. They need to see their difficulties faced by strong characters in stories that are not about the fact that they're disabled – books that any of their friends might enjoy just as much. If Jayben can find his own magic and ignite the torch with its fierce violet flame, his power will be unstoppable … Can Jayben save the world before the lights go out forever? If Jayben can find his own magic and ignite the torch with its fierce violet flame, his power will be unstoppable… Can Jayben save the world before the lights go out forever? There was a lot of action and at times I felt the story could do with a little slowing down. This was helped by the introduction of Jayben's medical condition which added another layer of interest to the story. Apr 19 2023 Jayben and the golden torch by Thomas Leeds Hachette, 2023. ISBN: 9781444968637. (Age: 10-14) Recommended.Armistice Day: A Collection of Remembrance - Spark Interest and Educate Children about Historical Moments His aunt is busy berating him when he sees something in the room that shouldn't be there and then....stars

Home | Thomas Leeds

I hope that children living with brain injuries and epilepsy will feel encouraged by Jayben, the hero I've longed to see for many years. But I believe that his story, the first in a series for ages 9+, is for everyone, and its message of courage and hope will appeal to readers of all abilities.

Thomas Leeds Press Reviews

Inspired by the author’s uniquely personal experience of memory loss comes an incredible, immersive fantasy series about a boy with no memories and a world that only he can save.

Jayben and the Golden Torch by Thomas Leeds | Waterstones

Ben has lived with his unkind Aunt Samantha for six years. He has no memory of his parents or why they left him. In fact, he has no memories at all of the first six years of his life. And the brain injury that stole his memories also causes him to have seizures. If your young reader is a fan of Francesca Gibbons and the Wizards of Once series, then Jayben and the Golden Torch will be right up their alley! I recommend it for children aged 9+. The author clearly has a massive imagination, with the world he has created filled with unusual creatures, delicious sounding food and a 5 different realms. I particularly lived the sound of Dropcorn and Gribblenuts (these gave me the same cravings as Silky's popcakes did in the Enchanted Wood when I was a child!)Jayben's seizures and memory loss added a different dynamic to the story which was a welcome change from all the action at times - it was about halfway through the book when he started experiencing absences that I became more invested in the character and the story. So often seizures in fiction are depicted as the end or a sign of someone worsening, we so rarely get to see people living with seizures and living through them. There are so many people, especially kids, dealing with this right now who need a hero like Jayben, to see themselves.

Jayben and the Golden Torch by Thomas Leeds - Coles Books Jayben and the Golden Torch by Thomas Leeds - Coles Books

If Jayben can find his own magic and ignite the torch with its fierce violet flame, his power will be unstoppable... Can Jayben save the world before the lights go out forever? When twelve-year-old Jayben finds himself in a fantastical new world, he wonders what it all means: Jayben has blanks in his memory due to his epileptic seizures as a result of brain injury. If you're coming to Coles by car, why not take advantage of the 2 hours free parking at Sainsbury's Pioneer Square - just follow the signs for Pioneer Square as you drive into Bicester and park in the multi-storey car park above the supermarket. Come down the travelators, exit Sainsbury's, turn right and follow the pedestrianised walkway to Crown Walk and turn right - and Coles will be right in front of you. You don't need to shop in Sainsbury's to get the free parking! Where to Find Us On my journey to recovery, I realised that I had a great imagination and I loved coming up with stories. Then I learned that, before my accident, I loved writing. Though I had no clear memory of this, it made sense and I dared to dream of being an author someday. But my brain injury had stopped me reading and writing and, between my unreliable memory and my seizures, achieving this dream seemed completely impossible.

Hello Yellow - 80 Books to Help Children Nurture Good Mental Health and Support With Anxiety and Wellbeing - But a new darkness grows among them… An evil villain called Null is burning down the forests, hellbent on finding the torch and becoming the most powerful being ever to live.