A grizzly bear walked all the way from the zoo to my front door and not a single person noticed him. I suppose it helped that it was night, and that he was wearing a big black duffle coat with an enormous hood that covered his hairy head. He knocked on the front door three times, loud knocks that shook the house.

Patrick makes his unexpected guest at home, while keeping him hidden from the neighbours, police and his very distractable mum!

An intriguing, engaging and rather remarkable tale.

such a loveable story, by the end you will wish you had a grizzly bear as a friend

This is a fun and gentle tale where the extraordinary is accepted with refreshing and comic matter-of-factness. In effective, simple prose, Boland manages to capture something of a little boy's loneliness and confusion, while providing a warm and whimsical solution to his woes.

it can be a struggle to find books that will engage six-to-eight year olds, but one sure to capture their imaginations is Gerry Boland’s debut, Marco Moves In

Boland certainly has a keen ear for a madcap narrative

'very touching and well written tales about a boy and his friend, a grizzly bear.'

'compelling story'

'illustrated with wonderful simplicity'

'a well-written book with great humour and an easy to read story ... the illustrations have a contemporary, yet slightly retro animated feel to them. The black and white ink wash pictures suit the atmosphere and tone of the book beautifully'

'A fun, delightful and gently subversive tale of friendship and finding a place where you belong ... It feels like a rainy evening, both cosy and a bit gloomy, then as the weather breaks and a solution is discovered, a warm glow evolves'

'Marco could well turn into a favourite with many young readers'

'Gentle, funny tale of a humanised, friendly bear and a boy who needs a friend'

'a fast-paced, first-person narrative that will appeal to 6-10 year-olds'

'direct and engaging'

Audio available: listen to some of this book now ...