Imprint Books Series

There is a Happy Land tells of the events of a few weeks in the life of a small boy on a north county council estate and the rhubarb fields, quarries and Cleark of Works' yard that are his playground.Unlike most boys portrayed in fiction he is not an ultrasensitive soul but an ordinary boy, occasionally cowardly, sometimes a liar, tough in his own eyes and often insecure in his dealings with others.

In his evocation of the jingles, games, fantasies and nightmares of childhood, Waterhouse brings his tribe of street urchins so vividly to life that the book has taken on the status of a much-loved classic.

Wishful Thinking

by Keith Waterhouse

Published March 1989

In these selections Keith Waterhouse writes about ordinary everyday life. He explores the small, apparently insignificant things that happen or are said, moments that can cause great happiness or heartache and leave deep and lasting impressions on those who experience them. Extracts are taken from his novels and plays including "There is a Happy Land", "Waterhouse at Large", "Jubb", "Billy Liar", "Maggie Muggins" and "In the Mood". It is a selection designed to help pupils draw on their own feelings and experiences and tell their own stories. The books in this series are suitable for class use and for GCSE examination and coursework, providing material for wider reading programs and the opportunity for more detailed study of the works. They encourage pupils to consider alternative ways of looking at a play or story and to express their personal views using supporting evidence from the text. they also give pupils the chance to respond in a variety of ways to what they have read, through imaginative writing, dramatic reconstructions and "generes transformations" as well as through traditional critical essays.
Keith Waterhouse is a well-known author and writer of TV and radio scripts, short stories and novels.