5.0 (1 rating)

Parent Agency

A brilliantly funny, gripping novel – and the bestselling hardback children’s debut of 2014 – from a born storyteller, The Parent Agency is an epic wish-fulfilment adventure for every child – and for the child in everyone.

Barry said, a third time, “I wish I had better parents!” And then suddenly the entire room started to shake...

Barry Bennett hates being called Barry. In fact it’s number 2 on the list of things he blames his parents for, along with 1) ‘being boring’ and 3) ‘always being tired’.

But there is a world, not far from this one, where parents don’t have children. That’s far too random for something so big and important. In this world, children are allowed to choose their parents.

For Barry Bennett, this world seems like a dream come true. Only things turn out to be not quite that simple...

Illustrated by Roald Dahl Funny Prize winner, Jim Field.

Pages: 384

ISBN: 9780007554515

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Rachel S.

Apr 6, 2026

I received an ARC of The Parent Agency and from the synopsis it sounded like a fun read and it truly was. Barry hated his name, hated the way his parents were, they were boring, and they always too his twin sisters side on everything. He was 9 years old coming up to 10 and his parents wouldn't allow him to do things his friends were doing. After asking his parents for a James Bond party and getting the hump he goes to his room and strange things start happening. He arrives in the Parent Agency. This agency is run by kids and the kids can choose who they want to be their parents. A fantastic idea so Barry thought. But after trying out 5 sets of parents he still couldn't decide who he wanted to be his parents because although some things were good with the ones he had tested it wasn't all that brilliant for him.
I was giggling like a school girl reading this. The names of the characters, their manourisms, place names it was all funny and great fun.
Everytime I picked the book up for a five minute read I found myself still reading 45 minutes later. I was truly hooked.

This is the first book I have read from David Baddiel as an author and I will definitely be looking out for more from him.