Somebody gave me a strange look the other day. It was just after I'd mentioned that the hero of my new book, Worm Story, is an intestinal worm.

At first I thought the person didn't know what 'intestinal' meant, and I was about to use a different word. 'Tummy', perhaps, or 'botty'. Then I realised the problem wasn't theirs, it was mine. I'd forgotten that, unlike me, most people don't include intestinal worms among their closest friends.

I didn't either until a few months ago. But once I got the idea of writing a story set partly inside a human body, and I started getting to know some of the billions of fascinating creatures who live inside us all, I discovered what likeable, funny, smart, brave, determined, loyal, creative and long-suffering individuals botty worms are.

I hope you agree when you meet Wilton in Worm Story. The book and the audio are available in shops and libraries from 29 November, but you can meet him now. Chapter One of Worm Story is here waiting for you. Have a read and a listen. Discover like me that life inside the human intestine can be quite an adventure and lots of fun as long as you watch where you tread. Or in Wilton's case, wriggle.

If you decide to join Wilton on his adventure through the whole book, you'll not only end up an expert on intestinal travel and the secret habits of microbes, but after 29 November you can also enter the Worm Story Competition on the Puffin Books website. The prize is a complete set of my books, signed by me to you, with your name correctly spelt, and another signed set for your school, all delivered personally by me in my best shirt.

So until next time, oo-roo and good luck, and when people ask you where you went for your holidays, you can say 'the pancreas.'

25 November 2004