The Great (Food) Bank Heist

Written with great empathy and Raúf’s trademark humour, this moving story gives a child’s-eye view of the increasing problem of food poverty.

Written with great empathy and Rauf’s trademark humour, The Great (Food) Bank Heist is a moving story that gives a child’s-eye view of the increasing problem of food poverty.

On Thursdays, Nelson, Ashley and Mum head out to the bank. But not just any old bank – the food bank. With its shining tins and packets of food stacked from floor to ceiling, Nelson thinks it’s the best kind of bank there is. But there’s a thief in town, and the shelves of the food bank are getting emptier each day, leaving people hungrier than ever. For the sake of his family and everyone else’s, Nelson needs to make them stop. But can he and his friends really be the ones to catch the bank robber?

Reviews

"A typically accessible and empathy-filled contemporary story that takes a child's-eye look at the increasing problem of food poverty" – The Bookseller

"A tender and funny look at a difficult subject" iNews

"This is masterful and empathetic storytelling at its best … Rauf gives a child's-eye view of food poverty, friendship and community spirit … A great story set in a unique and modern setting that I would highly recommend" – INIS

"Heartwarming [with] touches of humour … Marvellous on so many levels" – Book Trust

"We are so grateful to Onjali for writing this powerful book" – Emma Revie, Chief Executive of The Trussell Trust

"A story that doesn’t shy away from the real problems of low income families but also provides some humour and adventure at the same time … great illustrations by Elisa Paganelli which give the book an extra dimension and bring the cast to life for the reader" – The Letterpress Project

About the author

ONJALI Q. RAÚF is the bestselling and multi-award-winning children’s author of titles including The Star Outside My Window, The Night Bus Hero, and the Blue Peter Book Award and Waterstones Children’s Book Prize-winner The Boy at the Back of the Class. As well as writing children’s books, Onjali is the founder of Making Herstory, an organisation helping to tackle the abuse and trafficking of women and girls in the UK and beyond. She is also the founder of O’s Refugee Aid Team, which works to aid frontline refugee response teams in France, Greece and beyond.
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Elisa Paganelli is an acclaimed and award-winning illustrator and designer originally from Modena, Italy. She illustrated The Highland Falcon Thief by M.G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman, which won the British Book of the Year – Children’s Fiction in 2021. At the 2020 Cose Belle Festival, Elisa’s artwork titled Kizuna was also longlisted for the Italian Illustration Award. Elisa has been commissioned worldwide by leading publishers in Italy and France; her most recent and popular titles being Un albero molto speciale and La Moufle.