King of Nothing

Anton is the King of Year 9. He's the bad boy of his South London secondary school, feared and respected partly because his dad is inside. But when his mum makes him join the Happy Campers, a local activity group, he ends up making friends with Matthew, the biggest loser in school. And Anton starts to question his life, not least the misogynist banter of his best friend who is obsessed with a particularly sexist podcast. 

The humour, Nathanel Lessore’s trademark now, is immense. This is a truly hilarious book that makes readers laugh out loud, which is so important in reading for the joy of it. Anton’s world will be familiar to many - and this working-class South London scene is little written about. 

It has themes of exploring emotions, the subtlety of friendship, class, identity, complex relationships with family, falling in love, grief and negotiating teenage years and what it is to be a boy, be a man. It’s so funny, and so deep. 

If there was ever a book to get teenage boys (and girls actually) reading, and loving reading, it’s this one. It’s fall down on the floor funny and the dialogue is pitch perfect.