Eleanor & Park

Eleanor is the new girl at school: with her chaotic family life, mismatched clothes and wild red hair, she immediately stands out. Meanwhile, Park is the boy at the back of the bus, with his headphones on, staying out of the limelight and making himself invisible.  But he isn't invisible to Eleanor, and although they come from different worlds, the two soon find themselves embarking on an unlikely friendship, sharing comic books, mix-tapes and late night conversations. Before long, Eleanor and Park fall in love - but with so many obstacles in their way, can their relationship survive?

Set over the course of one school year in 1986, this is a beautifully-written love story about two high school outsiders. Told in the alternating perspectives of Eleanor and Park, it is a funny, thought-provoking and quirky tale of the ups and downs of first love. which readers will find easy to empathise with. Yet alongside the teen romance, Eleanor and Park touches on some serious and challenging issues with frankness and sensitivity. This moving and compelling novel marks out Rainbow Rowell as a young adult author to watch.