Colin Mudford, a twelve year old Australian, is sent to stay with his uncle and his aunt who live in London, while his brother, Luke, is being treated for cancer. In England, Colin, along with his cousin Alistair, decides to meet the Queen by trying to break into Buckingham Palace, because he wants to ask her for good doctors. Both boys are caught by the police for attempting this, and taken home.

He also tries to sneak into the best cancer hospital in London, and is again, kicked out. Outside the hospital, he meets a Welshman named Ted, who claims that his friend is also suffering from cancer. Ted offers to introduce Colin to one of England's leading cancer experts.

The expert contacts Luke's doctors in Sydney and confirms that the cancer which Luke has is terminal. Colin then slashes tyres on cars, which were Mercedes, BMW, Jaguar and Audi, to get revenge on the doctors. Colin storms back to his Aunt Iris's house distraught, on where Alistair gives Colin the idea that a possible cure may be found in South America.

Colin convinces Alistair to stow away with him on a cargo ship to South America the next day. However, when Colin admits that he slashed the tires of several doctors' cars and that Ted caught him, Alistair tells Colin that Ted could be blamed for this, so Colin delays their trip to South America, and visits Ted the next day.

Colin visits Ted at his home, and finds that he has been badly injured. Ted tells him that he was attacked by people in the street who disliked him, because he is gay. He then confesses to Colin that his friend who is dying of cancer is actually his lover, Griff, who is dying of AIDS. Ted is unable to walk, so Colin promises to visit Griff for him. Colin goes to the hospital and meets Griff, bringing him a letter from Ted as well as Griff's favourite food, tangerines. After enjoying a conversation with Colin, Griff requests that he come to visit him again.

After Griff is taken back to his ward by a nurse, Colin finds a spare wheelchair in the hospital which he takes back to Ted's house, because Ted can't walk. Colin then takes Ted to the hospital to see Griff using the wheelchair and the couple thanks Colin greatly for reuniting them. Several days later, after Ted has recovered, Colin goes to visit the couple in the hospital, but upon arrival, he learns that Griff has died.

When Colin arrives home, Aunt Iris tells Colin that she found out everything from Alistair. They are both punished by receiving only cold baked beans for dinner, and the house is fortified against any escape attempts. Colin abandons his plans for traveling to South America and decides to accept Luke's fate. He asks Aunt Iris to let him go back to his family, but she forbids it. She tells him any attempt to escape will not help either, because they will not allow him on the plane with his return ticket, unless he is seen off by an adult guardian.

The next morning, with much difficulty, Colin sneaks out of the house and meets Ted at the airport. Ted signs Colin's forms and they say their goodbyes and Ted leaves. Aunt Iris catches Colin trying to escape and conflict is created; Alistair has a rant, but Aunt Iris eventually sees reason and lets him go. They see him off, and Colin travels back to Sydney to see Luke. The story ends as Luke wakes up, happy to see Colin.

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Medium erhältlich in:
18 Kath. Öffentliche Bücherei St. Sophia, Erbach im Odenwald
70 KÖB St. Nimmerlein, Nimmerleinshausen, Nimmerleinshausen

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Personen: Gleitzman, Morris Bruck, Peter

Standort: EN-Box

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Interessenkreis: Fremdsprachig