Otter-Barry Books (9+) 9781915659040 (Paperback) Download activities and reading resources pack
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Content advice: some references to drinking, child carers, hospitalisation of sibling, neglect, poverty, alcoholism, bullying.
A poignant exploration of change and loss. Nate struggles to come to terms with the changes facing him in his home and school life during his final year at primary school. His best friend moves class and his home life becomes increasingly uncertain after the tumult and turmoil of his brother being rushed into hospital. Can Nate find his place among a fast-changing world?
Strongly character-driven, ‘The Final Year’ involves good people trying to do their very best in less-than-ideal circumstances. Written partly in dialect, there are profoundly lyrical moments in this affecting story of change and loss. Alternating between sorrow and joy, this is a verse novel that holds nothing back from the reader. The format is used to great effect to depict Nate’s inner monologue. Poignant, emotional and immediate, every word pulls its weight in this extraordinary verse novel.
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Former primary school teacher Matt Goodfellow is now a full-time poet who visits schools across the country to give high-energy performances and workshops. His first poetry collection for Otter-Barry Books, Chicken on the Roof, received wide acclaim. He is also the author of Caterpillar Cake, illustrated by Krina Patel-Sage and shortlisted for the CLiPPA award, Shu-Lin’s Grandpa, illustrated by Yu Rong and shortlisted for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal, and a contributor to CLiPPA-shortlisted poetry collection Being Me: Poems about Thoughts, Worries and Feelings, all published by Otter-Barry Books. Matt lives in Stockport, Manchester, UK.