PAX and the Missing Head by David Barker

Book Summary

In a country beset by civil war, New London defends itself behind a giant wall. Inside the city, children are forced to work from an early age, except for the lucky few who train to be leaders in the re-purposed Palace of Westminster. 12-year-old orphaned Pax is brilliant at recycling old tech. He enjoys working on the verti-farms and just wants a bit of peace and quiet. But when that is taken away from him, his only hope is to pass a near-impossible exam and join the other students in Scholastic Parliament. There he’ll make new friends and new enemies. He’ll get tested like never before. And he’ll discover that not everything is quite what it seems under the mayor’s harsh leadership.

First of all I must admit I really thought it was a completely different type of head from the title and description! I won't spoil it for you and anyway, probably everyone else got it right away 😂

This is set in a very mysterious new world. It's not really clear what exactly has caused things to change so horrifically but New London is now protected from the outside by a giant steel wall keeping out the old and the rich. Pax has never been outside but loves to look beyond the wall from high up in the vertical farms where he works.

I thought New London was such a depressing place! It's quite scary how things could escalate into a life like that. Pax really just wants to keep his head down but he's obviously really smart and Alderman seems to know that he could do better and bigger things with his life. Speaking of which, the end of the book definitely leaves things open enough for Pax to takes things much further.

It was kind of sad how Pax found it so hard to make friends so I was cheering when he found his people at Parliament. Though of course, not everyone was so nice. I find reading about bullies so frustrating and I was desperate for Pax to get back at mean-boy Zach.

Author Bio

"I attended the Faber Academy in 2014 and from that had three climate-fiction thrillers published (The Gold Trilogy, Bloodhound Books). I joined SCBWI in 2018 as I shifted my focus to a younger audience. My MG debut, Pax & The Missing Head publishes with Tiny Tree in late 2023. I live in Berkshire with my wife and daughter. I have a passion for stories, sport and boardgames."

I've made my own version of a Parliament Royale, it might give you courage while taking the terrifying scholastic test! In a a shaker full of ice, add the following, 40 ml citrus gin, 20ml apple sourz, 15ml lemon juice and a few drops of angostura bitters. Pour into a flute and top with champagne.