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Carnegie Medal

Children's Laureate 2001-2003

Carnegie Medal 1989, 1992

Whitbread Award 1993, 1996

Guardian Fiction Award 1990

IVAN THE TERRIBLE

The cover of 'Ivan the Terrible'

'Greetings to all you lowly shivering worms!'

It's Ivan's first day at his new school, and Boris is told to look after him, and translate for him, because Ivan can only speak Russian. After all, St Edmund's is a civilized school.

Only problem is, Ivan isn't civilized.

So when Ivan starts greeting people as 'lowly shivering worms', and asking for words in English like 'crush' and 'mutilate', Boris realises that he's going to have his work cut out for him. And that's just the start of the day... Little does he know that Ivan will leave a lasting influence, and that he himself will never enjoy listening to nursery rhymes ever again...

This is a classic Anne Fine story - very funny and very real.

Shortlisted for The Tower Hamlets Book Award 2008
Shortlisted for Portsmouth Book Awards 2009
Shortlisted for Prix Versele (Belgium) 2010

Ivan the Terrible won the silver medal in the 2007 Nestlé Children's Book awards. The judges said: "This is an extremely entertaining read, told with Anne Fine's usual concise wit; revealing, in the end, a thought-provoking message."


"To work successfully, the book required a delicate balancing-act and Anne Fine, a consummate high-wire performer, doesn't put a foot wrong."

Chris Stephenson, Carousel

"Fine's writing is comic, her characters are well-drawn and there is a neat twist at the end..."

Vanessa Curtis, The Herald

"Anne Fine's trademark black humour is laced with a delicious sense of precision and of timing throughout the novel... ...this admirable and compelling short novel..."

Jake Hope, achuka

"...delightfully spiky... ...irreverent comedy..."

Nicolette Jones, Sunday Times

Ivan the Terrible by Anne Fine is a book for middle readers, with illustrations by Philippe Dupasquier. It was first published by Egmont in June 2007, and reissued in February 2018. Click the links below to buy it from from Buy 'Ivan the Terrible', or use the ISBN to help your local library or bookshop order you a copy.