“References to historical dates, places and words in old languages are accurate only in the sense of being ‘not very’.
Ross Welford in his Author’s Note to The 1,000-Year-Old Boy
Isn’t that a promising note to an imaginative story?
The 1,000-Year-Old Boy is about Alfie Monk, who has been eleven years old for a thousand years. To some, this may sound fantastic. But Alfie now just wants to grow up. Thanks to two life-pearls, panic and an accident, his cat Buffa and he cannot die naturally. This does not mean that they’re immortal; rather, they’re biologically immortal, meaning they can be killed. But until then, they do not age unless they can successfully use a second life-pearl.
When you live for a thousand years, can you make friends? What happens if you don’t age in an era when witches are burnt at the stake? And what about in modern times when you need documents for everything – how can you survive?
Alfie is a solitary child because the only time he made a friend, he was betrayed. His secret of agelessness was revealed, and there were questions, questions and more questions. Now, he does not know whom to trust. Yet, without help, he cannot find the remaining life-pearl that will allow him to die. He needs friends who not just believe him, but also trust him enough to go on an impossible quest to retrieve the last life-pearl from its hiding place.
The 1,000-Year-Old Boy is a story of friendship. It is told from the point of view of two narrators, both ordinary boys, except for the fact that one is a thousand years old. Their feisty friend Roxy is the most wonderful character of all – dramatic, energetic and smart. Together, they embark on a wonderful adventure – one that will make Alfie normal again.
| Title | The 1,000-Year-Old Boy |
| Author | Ross Welford |
| Genre | Fantasy/Adventure |
| Rating (out of 5) | 4 |
| Age-group | 11+ |
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