Gerry Boland

Marco Collection Gerry Boland

Get ready for a collection of madcap narratives about a rather remarkable grizzly bear!

Marco Moves In - A grizzly bear walked all the way from the zoo to my front door and not a single person noticed him. I suppose it helped that it was night, and that he was wearing a big black duffle coat with an enormous hood that covered his hairy head. He knocked on the front door three times, loud knocks that shook the house. Patrick makes his unexpected guest at home, while keeping him hidden from the neighbours, police and his very distractable mum!

Marco: Master of Disguise - Nearly everyone in my class had a pet of some sort. Lots of them had dogs, and a fair few had cats, budgies and goldfish. Max Wallace had a hamster and Adam O'Hara had a tortoise which he claimed was 60 years old, though I'm pretty sure he was exaggerating. Sam Tripp had a small lizard and a pet rabbit, which was a strange combination. But no one I knew had a grizzly bear sleeping in their garden shed, or sat beside a grizzly bear most nights watching TV.

Marco: Moonwalker - After escaping from the zoo and coming to live with Patrick and his mum, Marco proves to have many talents. Now Patrick discovers that Marco is also a musical genius - he can play the trombone, banjo and even moonwalk like Michael Jackson! 'Let's start a band', Patrick says, and Marco becomes a star. Then disaster strikes. He is spotted without his mask and taken back to the zoo. How will Patrick and Mum get him out again?

'It can be a struggle to find books that will engage six-to-eight year olds, but one sure to capture their imaginations is Gerry Boland's debut, Marco Moves In.'
Sunday Independent

'Boland certainly has a keen ear for a madcap narrative.'
Sunday Business Post

'Very touching and well written tales about a boy and his friend, a grizzly bear.'
Irish Times