Adam says he wasn’t given a particular reason why Waterstones picked Boy Underwater for their Children’s Book of the Month, but believes it’s the combination of the central character’s massive journey, the serious themes in the book but the humour of the delivery that have made it stand out.”It’s a really emotional story and it takes the character on a massive journey from being a normal little boy to uncovering his family secret but I think I’ve managed to make it funny as well.”If you were to say ‘what is the book about?’ it doesn’t really sound like a children’s novel – there’s quite serious themes. But I’ve tried to make the book a very safe place for children to go to those difficult issues knowing I will look after them as a narrator and writer but combined with that are the humorous element of Cymbeline’s voice.”The swimming is very important. And what he has to uncover about swimming, particularly why his mum has never taken him swimming, is the tip of the iceberg of all the secrets that his family has.”I think the central theme of the book is that if you bury secrets they will always, always, always come back to you. You can’t keep the past down and really neither should you.”
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