Publisher's Synopsis
Life for the children at Mount Pleasant Junior School is anything but pleasant, especially at Christmas time, for their Head Teacher is the notorious 'Christmas Killer' - Mrs. Miller. The manic Head Teacher, along with her diminutive Deputy Head Teacher Mr. Castle, and S.C.A.M.P students, have quashed even the mention of Christmas at school. On her first day at her new school, the ten-year-old Holly Glover, witnesses Mrs. Miller's barbarity first hand when her teacher, Mr. Mild, is humiliated in front of the whole school for committing the great 'crime' of putting up a Christmas tree in his classroom... "CHRISTMAS," she shrieked, "does not exist at Mount Pleasant Junior School. It is an unwanted distraction. It lowers pupil performance and affects my data!" From that moment on, Holly joins forces with her vengeful teacher, and along with her two friends, Chris and Meera, they decide to try and outwit Mrs. Miller, and return Christmas to Mount Pleasant. Bring on 'Operation Christmas'. However, it isn't long before Holly suffers the wrath of the sadistic Head Teacher which only goes to further her determination to triumph over Mrs. Miller... ...Mrs. Miller gazed from one child to another. The dragon was choosing which child to eat first. "And you," she snarled, pointing her claws at Holly. "What's your name?" Holly told her. Mrs. Miller screwed her face up and somehow kept it so, when she spoke: "I hate that name. That alone, is reason enough for a detention. All three of you will report to my office on the stroke of lunchtime. I'll teach you a lesson you will never forget!" Things take an unexpected turn though, when a discovery in Mrs. Miller's office makes Holly think rather differently about Mrs. Miller, a feeling furthered by her conversation with Mr. Broom, the elderly and almost entirely useless Site Manager... ...Mr. Broom then did what adults do when they don't want to answer a question. They ask one of their own, to make you try and forget the one you asked. "Do you think Mrs. Miller was always the way she is? She wasn't Holly. Bad things happen to good people and then good people become bad." There is little Holly can do to improve her life at home. The one parent she has left, her father, is a constant source of embarrassment, and her new home is nothing more than a store room for his latest, ridiculous venture. It is at school however, the day-time home of hundreds of aggrieved children, where Holly thinks she can make a difference. Together with her two favourite teachers and two favourite friends, Holly hatches a plan that will hopefully restore the festive season to Mount Pleasant and bring to an end forever, the reign of Mrs. Miller - Christmas killer. "Tomorrow will be a great day - nothing can spoil that," Meera's mother said. "Mrs. Miller might," Holly said, before walking out of the door and into the cold night. What follows is a hilarious but touching chain of events that changes the lives of everyone. This story will resonate with anyone who has taught or been taught in a Primary School at Christmas, which is just about everyone! The story is very funny; very touching and so very, very Christmassy! A perfect book to read to a class full of children or a perfect book to read alone, with a minced pie or two!
