How to Win the Gruesome Games

Book excerpt: Being BAD has never felt so GOOD! The third book in the villainously funny, highly illustrated young middle-grade series from author-illustrator Ryan Hammond. For fans of Amelia Fang, Dog Man and Grimwood. Check out the complete series – Villains Academy and Villains Academy: How to Steal a Dragon. ‘Heart-warming and hilarious – Villains Academy is a spookalicious treat, set to terrify every other book on your shelf.’ Jack Meggitt-Phillips, author of The Beast and the Bethany ‘An absolute HOOT! Evil laughs aplenty!’ Sophy Henn, author and illustrator of the Pizazz series Once a year the five original founders of Villains Academy rise from their graves in honour of the Gruesome Games – a school sports day unlike any other, where the aim is to prank and cheat your way to the finish line. Werewolf Bram and his friends the Cereal Killers are determined to win so their names can be written in the Book of Bad, a record of the most wicked villains to grace the school. But as the games become harder and the pranks get out of hand, are Bram and his friends bad enough to go down as the most victorious villains in history? PRAISE FOR VILLAINS ACADEMY: ‘A charmingly villainous adventure about friendship, school and unspeakable evil.’ Louie Stowell, author of Loki: A Bad God’s Guide to Being Good ‘Criminally fun!’ Danny Wallace, author of The Day the Screens Went Blank ‘Frightfully fun – Villains Academy had me cackling from the very first page!’ Katie Tsang, co-author of the Dragon Realm series ‘I loved the spookily funny Villains Academy. It's a work of (evil) genius!’ Jenny McLachlan, author of The Land of Roar ‘A joyful hug of a book with genuine warmth and heart.’ Hannah Gold, author of The Last Bear ‘A delightfully fun adventure with real heart and humour.’ Benjamin Dean, author of Me, My Dad and the End of the Rainbow ‘Immersive, funny, and with a cast of scarily loveable characters, Villains Academy made me feel like I was IN the book!’ Mel Taylor-Bessent, author of The Christmas Carrolls ‘A fabulously funny adventure. I want to enrol in Villains Academy!’ Nick Sheridan, author of The Case of the Runaway Brain ‘Wickedly funny and full of quirky yet loveable characters.’ Iona Rangeley, author of Einstein the Penguin ‘This is a brilliant, bonkers work packed with top-notch illustration.’ Jack Noel, author and illustrator of the Comic Classics series ‘Full of wonderful characters, Villains Academy is such a FUN read!’ Rikin Parekh, illustrator of The Worst Class in the World series