"“What, is he crazy? Should I get a job and destroy the best years of my life?” A boy, a father, a grandfather live in an old house in the woods, spending their days with feeding the tigers they keep in the barn with hot dogs, swimming in the garage they turned into a pool, riding a giraffe. A children’s book far more anarchic than “Pippi Longstocking” —and more fun, too. Also for grown-ups."

"When we were growing up, we had mutual friends. I used to go and watch them play at the Bug Bar in Brixton when I was 14… I remember them getting signed to Fiction and how exciting that was. I’ve still got one of their demo CDs, in a photocopied and stapled-together packet, which had their early song Latchmere on it. Latchmere was a swimming pool we all went to; it had a really good wave machine. That’s how their song goes: “Latchmere’s/ Got a wave machine.” When I watched the Maccabees play at Glastonbury this year, it was so moving – seeing all those random people singing their song back at them, about a little swimming pool that was a huge part of my youth. It took me back… I’d say they’re the most consistent band in the UK right now. Without fail, they deliver with their songs, and I find them very inspiring for that. They know who they are; as individuals, as friends, as a band. They’re lovely boys – and with their new record, Marks to Prove It, they had their first No 1 album."