“Drop the act. Drop the beat. Drop the mic.”
Steady for This by Nathanael Lessore is funny, heart-warming and refreshing. Suitable for Y7 and up.
I absolutely love narrator (MC) Growls- known to his family as Shaun. He is so disarmingly honest and sweet. His speech patterns are incredible- a blend of MLE, idiom, malapropism and wordplay, both deliberate and accidental, and a wide bank of allusions and fanciful similes (again not always entirely fitting) make Growls’ voice an absolute joy.
Growls’ life is not the easiest, partly because of his own unique creative decisions which seem to backfire spectacularly and partly because of the UK’s housing crisis and the irrational relationship between wages and rent. Growls’ best friend and creative partner is also suddenly off the scene recovering from serious illness. How will Growls cope?
‘Steady for This’ is celebration of young people navigating an unfair and unforgiving world. It highlights the roles and responsibilities some young people must shoulder. It also shines a light on adults who make a difference: Shaun’s mum, doesn’t get it all right but she’s doing her damnedest. Karen (people named Karen everywhere, rejoice) is a superhero, as is Mr Rix.
Lessore’s new book ‘King of Nothing’ just published and I’ll definitely add it to my wishlist.
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