Twelve-year-old Stan is going on holiday. To Italy. He's not going with his family though, he's going with his best-friend Felix (although if Stan was honestly ranking his friends, Felix would be number five). He's absolutely terrified. Luckily, as well as emergency euros, Stan's mum has given him an emergency list that includes how to survive a shark attack, and what to do if he gets abducted by kidnappers. Stan thinks that a better list would include how to cope with weird toilets, and what to do if he accidentally calls Felix's mum 'mum' in front of everybody. And it soon turns out that Italy is full of strange food, difficult games, jellyfish and mosquitoes called Ian. Can Stan survive all this, as well as very complicated (and also, actually, very strange) grown-ups? One thing's for certain, Stan's not going to come back the same boy he left. He just hopes he comes back at all . . . Worst. Holiday. Ever is a story about facing fears, dealing with worries, and how it's OK to be anxious, scared, and sometimes a little bit brave.