Product Description

All may be fair in love and war ... but certainly not at the school gates!
The brilliant new novel from the author of The Playground Mafia.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #181661 in Books
• Published on: 2007-09-20
• Binding: Paperback
• 352 pages

Synopsis
There are 50 places at The Oaks, the best grammar school in Letchbury, and 1,000 children applying. Competition is fierce and parents are prepared to do everything and anything to get their child one of the coveted spaces. Close friends Lily, Julie, Karen and househusband Paul aren't overly concerned. After all, aren't their children bright and sociable enough? But they're quickly shaken out of their complacency when enrolment time approaches and turns out to be little more than a rigged lottery, where only the most ruthless hold the cards. Marriages and friendships crumble under the pressure, fake addresses abound and tutors rates soar. As measures get more and more extreme, the four quickly rally their troops and throw themselves into the battle for big school. Initially wary to be in competition with each other, they realise that the only way of out-smarting the rest of the pack is by coming up with a plan. Because getting their kids into The Oaks will demand determination and strategy akin to Mission Impossible ...

From the Back Cover
There are 50 places at The Oaks, the best grammar school in the area, and 1,000 children applying. Competition is fierce and parents are prepared to do everything and anything to get their child one of the coveted spaces. Absolutely anything ...

Close friends Lily, Julie, Karen and Paul aren't overly concerned. After all, aren't their children are bright and sociable enough? But they're quickly shaken out of their complacency when enrolment time approaches and turns out to be little more than a rigged lottery, where only the most ruthless hold the cards. Marriages and friendships crumble under the pressure, fake addresses abound and tutors rates soar. And, of course, money passes hands like water, between estate agents, local councillors and City fundraisers, all of whom hold the purse strings for school funding.

As measures get extreme (well, down-right ridiculous really), the four quickly rally their troops and throw themselves into the battle for big school. Initially wary to be in competition with each other, they realise that the only way of out-smarting the rest of the pack is by coming up with a plan. Because getting their kids into The Oaks will demand determination and strategy akin to Mission Impossible…

Praise for The Playground Mafia

'Scandal, backstabbing, illicit affairs...a fab, girlie read!' New Woman

'Mums will be able to see the truth behind this fun novel' In The Know

'A real laugh-out-loud tale' OK! Magazine

About the Author
An award-winning broadcaster and journalist, Sarah Tucker was a presenter on the BBC1 Holiday programme and, more recently, anchored I Want That House Revisited on ITV1. She regularly contributes to women's magazines, The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and The Guardian. Sarah Tucker is the author of The Playground Mafia and three romantic comedies published by Harlequin.

Customer Reviews

Even Worse Than The Last One
I got this and "Playground Mafia" in a charity book sale at work (the worst £1 I've ever spent). It's so awful that it annoys me to give it 1 star. I admit I didn't make it to the end, clearing my cutlery drawer was a more inspiring option than ploughing through this rubbish. Avoid.

So True!
Having read Sarah Tucker's previous book "The Playground Mafia" I decided to read this book as well. It took me a few weeks to read it as I was very busy at the time so I had to go back and recap on what was happening, something I don't often have to do. Whilst I enjoyed reading "The Battle For Big School" I couldn't help noticing that the main characters lacked depth, even though they were likable. I much preferred reading "May Contain Nuts". If you are in the process of choosing secondary education for your child and get frustrated and annoyed by the snobbishness of some parents that are obsessed with getting their offspring into the "in" school in the area, then this book is definitely for you.

loved it
loved this book. Easy read and funny. I'm going through this rubbish at the moment and it's a nightmare. Given me some ideas about how to get round a system that is obviously screwed.