The eight books on the 2013 Guardian children's fiction prize longlist deal with war, dystopian futures and terminal illness – but their tales of children overcoming adversity are both entertaining and inspiring
- 1 / 8
The Boy Who Swam with Piranhas, by David Almond, illustrated by Oliver Jeffers (Walker, £9.99) Age: 9+
After being given a £10 note on his birthday, orphaned Stanley Potts visits a fair and wins thirteen goldfish. When his money-mad uncle cruelly turns them into a new fish product in his fish-canning factory, Stan ups and runs away. An adventure that begins on the Hook a Duck stall leads from fairground to circus as Stan begins to discover what he values. But he is not entirely in charge of his own destiny. Everything is leading him to the legendary Pancho Pirelli, famous for swimming with piranhas, who is determined to train Stan as his apprentice. Does Stan have the courage? A rollicking adventure with a big-hearted hero. Photograph: Walker
After being given a £10 note on his birthday, orphaned Stanley Potts visits a fair and wins thirteen goldfish. When his money-mad uncle cruelly turns them into a new fish product in his fish-canning factory, Stan ups and runs away. An adventure that begins on the Hook a Duck stall leads from fairground to circus as Stan begins to discover what he values. But he is not entirely in charge of his own destiny. Everything is leading him to the legendary Pancho Pirelli, famous for swimming with piranhas, who is determined to train Stan as his apprentice. Does Stan have the courage? A rollicking adventure with a big-hearted hero. Photograph: Walker
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