Ostrich Boys

"It's not really kidnapping, is it? He'd have to be alive for it to be proper kidnapping."

Ross is dead, and Blake, Sim, and Kenny are furious. To make things right, they steal Ross's ashes and set out from their home on the English coast for the tiny village of Ross in southern Scotland, a place their best friend had always wanted to go. But the boys' plan for a quick two-day trip turns into an unforgettable journey with illegal train rides, bungee jumping, girls, and high-speed police chases—all with Ross's ashes along for the ride. As events spin wildly out of control, the three friends must take their heads out of the sand long enough to answer the question: What really happened to Ross?

An award-winning author in the U.K., Keith Gray makes his U.S. debut with this action-packed and darkly humorous YA novel about friendship and loss.

KEITH GRAY grew up in Grimsby, England, and knew that he wanted to be a writer even though he never received top marks in English. Since then, Keith has gone on to write seven books. He won the Angus Book Award and the Smarties Prize Silver Award. Ostrich Boys was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal and the 2007 Costa Book Award. Visit Keith at his Web site Keith-Gray.com.