"McGowan writes in prose as spare and effective as that of Barry Hines … there’s an extraordinary depth and elegance to this story. An outstanding novel" – LoveReading4Kids "A gut-wrenching tale of crime and punishment makes [Pike] compelling reading" – New Statesman "Dazzlingly true to life, a succinct yet satisfying read" – INIS "McGowan … manages to transform a relatively simple storyline into a gripping tale with a fresh outlook and edgy twist" – Reading Zone "This story is an object lesson in the art of compression. In only 128 pages it touches on natural history, sibling relationships, living with mental disability, split families, fear of outsiders, dealing with bullies and coping with guilt" – Books For Keeps

From the Carnegie Medal-winning author of Lark (Dyslexia-friendly) - The critically acclaimed The Truth of Things quartet is being repackaged into a stunning and cohesive set for 2025 to coincide with the eagerly anticipated new novella The Beck - Anthony McGowan is one of the most widely acclaimed YA and children’s authors in the UK. His books have won major awards including the 2020 Carnegie Medal for Lark. He was also shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal with Rook and won the BookTrust Teenage Prize and the Catalyst Award for Henry Tumour. Most recently, The Dogs of the Deadlands was shortlisted for a Week Junior Book Award and a Guardian Book of the Year 2022 - High profile marketing campaign to include new resources, display materials, author videos and events