Boy in the Tower

by Fiona MacKenzie (Adapter), Polly Ho-Yen

Penguin Readers is an ELT graded reader series for learners of English as a foreign language. With carefully adapted text, new illustrations and language learning exercises, the print edition also includes instructions to access supporting material online.

Titles include popular classics, exciting contemporary fiction, and thought-provoking non-fiction, introducing language learners to bestselling authors and compelling content.

The eight levels of Penguin Readers follow the Common European Framework of Reference for language learning (CEFR). Exercises at the back of each Reader help language learners to practise grammar, vocabulary, and key exam skills. Before, during and after-reading questions test readers' story comprehension and develop vocabulary.

Boy In The Tower, a Level 2 Reader, is A1+ in the CEFR framework. Sentences contain a maximum of two clauses, introducing the future tenses will and going to, present continuous for future meaning, and comparatives and superlatives. It is well supported by illustrations, which appear on most pages.

Ade lives in a tower block in London. One day, something bad happens to Ade's mum. After that, she stays in her bedroom all the time and sleeps. Then buildings start falling down in the night, and there are strange plants on the street. What will happen to Ade and his friend Gaia?

Visit the Penguin Readers website
Exclusively with the print edition, readers can unlock online resources including a digital book, audio edition, lesson plans and answer keys.

Genres: Childrens, Novels

64 pages, Paperback

Published September 30, 2021

About the author

This is the disambiguation profile for otherwise unseparated authors publishing as Fiona MacKenzie

Reviews

[Kirsty Dixon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing! What a great adventure I had going threw this book. Honestly best book I've seen in ages :)

[Freya Laidler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author is INCREDIBLY talented!! When the characters in the story were sad, I was sad. If they were worried, I was worried. If they were relieved, I was feeling the exact same way! This book was so thrilling and I couldn’t put it down because every chapter was left on a cliff hanger. I have nothing but good things to say about this book. Definitely quite awe-inspiring for the reader. I highly recommend it!!!
This is one of my new favourites.

[Haider · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my top 3. The plants are such a mystery as they come out of no where and kill people from air it’s also so wired how they kill someone and move next their body and eat them for food. This is a child friendly book I just described it in a different way.

[Priya K · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great story about Ade who lives with his mum in a tower block in Camberwell. Mum has mental health issues and won’t leave the flat.
Buildings start falling and people start dying- people leave the city, terrified. Ade can’t leave because his mum won’t go. They are trapped inside, too scared to get out. It turns out that it’s deadly plants which eat the concrete and glass and have spores that kill humans!
Two neighbours in the tower block look after him and they help one another with food and jobs. They have been working on lots behind the scenes and discover a way of defeating the deadly plants….

[Me Christine Crawley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found it very hard to put this book down, so I just sat and finished it. A thoroughly intriguing page turner that takes the reader on an epic journey through a plague ridden London. Ade is our storyteller, a young lad living in a tower block who cares for his mother.

We go on an emotional rollercoaster with Ade, who is struggling to cope with the change in his circumstances and is missing his school friend Gaia. Whilst the world tries to find out what’s happening, Ade sees it all unfold on TV, until….

Great book to engage 9 to 12 year olds.

[Hazel Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fabulous book! Amazing thoughts of Gaia being able to read peoples minds by looking at their lips. I love the spores and Bluchers and people dying randomly. How Ade cared for Gaia so much! And how Obi and Dory stayed because of Ade. How Obi found out salt would stop Blunchers from just a story. I love the bit where Ade has to go to plant the fireworks for the helicopter. The idea of plants making everyone die is so fascinating!

[Charlotte Haigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this, I expect my class next year will do too. Full of suspense, covering lots of themes, from friendships, family relationships and anxiety, all comes together with a building eating plant! Ideal for a young teen, highly recommend 👌

[Teddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was phenomenal but could’ve had more unexpected events if you don’t like reading read this is the book trust me .it will start to make you read a lot more well at least that’s what I did to me . Become emerged into this phenomenal book . Sit down, relax and enjoy this book in bed.

[Diana Ersek · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is one of my favourite books ever i read it ages ago and still love it

[Swara Chavan · Rating 4 out of 5]

very exciting and it is a book i recemond to people who like danger or adventure stories. it was a bit confusing at the end but at the start is was a VERY GOOD book...

[Laura Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book, although slightly disappointed by the ending.

[Kristian Hawkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this for my classes guided reading sessions, and they were hooked instantly

[sonataiscool · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting concept and I really wasn’t expecting the Bluchers so that was a nice touch.

[Sara Omerović · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok.I got it as a challenge to red it in English class.I don’t really have opinions on it

[KahnitaAbassHassan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like the part when they are bird 🐦 meat

[mrs m c hanson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Want to read
OK UGH

[theoeoeoeo · Rating 3 out of 5]

We read this in school. We never finished. One day I will know what happened. I am still upset about this 7 years later

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was fine, brought back memories of lockdown even though it was written way before that

[Amelie Bull · Rating 3 out of 5]

Light reading with Y6 English but good nonetheless!

[Jaber Mohamed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boy in the Tower is perfect.
My Favourite book in 2025
It is about a boy?? Called Adeola for short Ade and and towels around him start
falling randomly

[Amberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started and finished date - 23.01.25 to 26.01.25.
My rating - three Stars.
This book was okay read but I didnt love it and the cover of book was stunning. The writing was okay but the paced of plot was bit slow for my like and not a lot happen in the book. The atmosphere was fine and the the ending of the book was okay. The characters was fine but I would have like them flash out bit more.

[Hayley Tipple · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn’t ment to read this book but I really enjoyed reading this book because it gives me a sense of imagination