This is the story of Sean McDade, a boy who loved football and hated reading. Sean McDade never liked books. His father John McDade didn't like them much either.
"You don't need to read books to build conservatories," said John McDade. John McDade had just built his thousandth conservatory.
Beryl McDade, Sean's mother, had her own silk flower business. Sean McDade had other plans though. He was going to be a footballer and play for Man United.
Sean McDade was always kicking a ball. Or watching footie on the telly. Or playing his Playstation.
The walls of Sean McDade's room were plastered in Man United posters. His favourite shoes were his Nike football boots and his favourite shirt was his Man United shirt.
Sean McDade played footie for his local team and talked footie all day with his pals. When he was very tired he played rap on his Panasonic SLS X281C CD-Personal Hi-Fi. And one day he planned to have his eyebrow pierced and own a Porsche Boxster.
Now all might have continued in much the same way in Sean's fairly amiable life had it not been for Barbara Savage. For Barbara Savage, a woman whom life had cruelly passed by, had decided one night to make Sean her cause. Come Hell or high water, Barbara Savage would make Sean McDade read. No matter the cost to man, beast or country.