Stealing Happy

This book is called Stealing Happy. It is about how Sonny's dad has covid and his mum works as a cleaner. It's hard for Sonny as he suffers from Tourettes. Tourettes is where you blurt random things sometimes out of the blue. Chick Lennon says they are in 5k debt to him. Sonny and his two friends Jonah and Carolina devise a plan to steal from Archie Burns, Chick's henchman is the money. They steal it and and slowly his dad starts to break from covid and they aren't in debt anymore. I liked this book as it was very funny and it shows how important friends are, I would recommend this book to people who want a happy ending book whilst being funny. I would rate it a solid 8/10.

Musa H 7P

Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

Sonny's dad has covid and his mum works as a cleaner, it's hard for sonny as he suffers from Tourettes. Chick Lennon says they are in 5k debt to him. Sonny and his two friends Jonah and Carolina devise a plan to steal from archie burns, Chick's henchman is the money. They steal it and and slowly his dad starts to break from covid and they aren't in debt anymore. I liked this book as it was very funny and it shows how important friends are, I would recommend this book to people who want a happy ending book whilst being funny.

Mahiru

Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

This book is one of my favourite carnegies so far it has a lot of realistic action and a realistic plot it is about a boy who has Tourettes and his family has a problem with money and needed it badly. I think that this is a book for people aged 10+ because younger ones would find it hard to understand. I would rate this 9/10.

Ayaan N

Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

​Stealing Happy is a thrilling, engaging, and genuinely funny novel. ​The book tells the story of Sonny Gilmour and his two friends, Jonah and Carolina, who devise a risky plan to steal money to help pay off Sonny’s mother’s debt. What I liked best was the way Conaghan developed the characters; they feel authentic and humorous, which makes the story both memorable and gripping. ​It is a highly entertaining read, and I would definitely recommend adding this to your collection.

Raven

The Book Explorers

I found Stealing Happy to be a well-paced and fun book to read. In this novel by Bryan Conaghan, a teenage boy with Tourette’s, named Sonny, attempts to rescue his family from debt by stealing back the required amount of money from the loan shark Chick Lennon (although he actually steals it from Archie Burns, who works for Chick Lennon). It highlights the struggles of life with long covid, Tourette’s, and the cost-of-living crisis. I found that this book was well written with a clear plotline. It was fun to read but, in some places, I felt like things happened too quickly, and without enough explanation. The book educates well about Tourette’s, and it is interesting to learn more about the subject.

Owen

Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

This book is really moving and awe-inspiring. It starts off with the main character, Sonny Glimour introducing himself, and that he has Tourette's, a condition where he is unable to control some of the things he says, which is mainly screamed out. Then, we are introduced to this person called Chick Lennon, who is wanting Sonny’s mum to pay rent for their apartment. However, she doesn’t have enough money to pay him, so he gives them a week to get over £2000. Still, this isn’t much time to get that much money in a short space of time, as well as Sonny’s dad being ill from long Covid. So, Sonny asks his friend Jonah and a quiet girl called Carolina to help him get money. Jonah comes up with the idea of robbing Chick Lennon. This seems like a good idea, until Sonny’s Tourette’s makes him scream “ROB CHICK LENNON” at the top of his voice whenever things get dicey. Thankfully, they managed to get the money in the end, and Chick Lennon is imprisoned.

Joshua

Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

The book is interestingly written in that it is does not have “fixed” chapter names. For example, one of the chapters is, ‘the bit where I go to school, shaking like a leaf’. In terms of the events that happen, it does not feel like total reality, mostly because, of one of the main villains - somebody called Chick Lennon, who gives somebody money and takes 40% every month or so. Overall, the book is interestingly written in that it helps people to understand people with Tourette’s.

Irynei

Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

Stealing happy is an interesting and anticipating book with the main character having Tourette’s. I think this book has lots of good examples on how to treat somebody who is neurodiverse like Sonny, but it also has some bad examples which people should not be learning from. In my opinion, there is a lot of anticipation for the robbery that Sonny and his friends are going to commit to end Sonny’s family’s poverty and it is only in the last paragraph that they actually carry it out. Otherwise, the storyline is perfect for my kind of personal interest of book. It has a lovely, slow-paced narrative and the sessions Sonny goes to in the middle of school seem quite relatable to what a real person with Tourette’s might do, but also Sonny’s tics get him into some trouble and some people don’t know about his neurodiversity so they mistake his tics for actual words that he meant and intended to say and from Sonny’s perspective, that can seem quite scary. But I would definitely recommend this for intermediate readers.

Ben

Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

I thought this book really expresses the challenges of having multiple things you need to do. Having Sonny’s dad having long Covid and nearly being taken to court. How he trie to get money in a non violent manner. In the end he still had to rob money from Archie burns but also trying to hide having Tourette’s. Trying not to tic whist about to go the bad in which he can help out his family’s debt to loan shark Chick Lennon. Also highlighting that you can recover from injuries by his dad slowly going one block further everyday and fully recovering and getting back to full fitness. Overall I thought it was a really well thought out book and would happily read again!

Harry

Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

This was a very good book and it made me think of King of nNthing. The ending was a bit boring and nothing special. Overall a good book but it was a bit easy to read. It was a 7/10 for me.

Cody w

Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

A very good book surprised it didn't get on the short list I think the ending was particularly good, I think the fact the money got paid back anyway, didn't like that 6.8/10

Billy C

Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

Overall, I really liked the book "Stealing Happy".  It's funny and light hearted as well as serious about important topics. Throughout the book I become more aware of Tourette's and how it can hugely effect somebody's life. The main character Sonny goes through many real life difficulties, issues and is a character that many will be able to relate with and empathise to. I like how the pages and words are laid out. The book is easy to read, and interesting. So much so that I almost read the whole book in one sitting! The plot had many ups and downs which I found nice, my favourite parts were the parts with the "bad people" like chick Lennon and archie burns most gripping parts. It was also fascinating to see life through the eyes of someone with Tourette's. Overall I really liked this book.

Sarah

Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

Stealing Happy is a unique book which shows how members of the community deal with things like Tourette’s. The book shows how people deal with poverty and greedy loan sharks. With an entertaining and fast paced plot. The book uses an authentic Scottish accent to bring 13-year-old Sonny to life showing his trouble with OCD and Tourette’s making it an intense and read while the Robin Hood inspired plan to rob Archie Burns is a thrilling and intriguing part of the story. The story starts in a flat; everything seems fine to start until Sonny’s Mom reveal the piles of debt the family is in after Sonny’s dad got long covid and his Mom struggles to find houses to clean to make income and the post office isn’t giving them any money for a while. The story is an enjoyable easy read that I would recommend.

Oliver

Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

This book is an extremely fun read. I love how accurate the representation of problems is, like ill family, money being tight at times and conditions you and others have to learn to live with. The narration for me is completely new, and I did have to search up a few words, but I definitely think it's a book worth reading, four stars.

rida

HGS Book Club

The book Stealing Happy is an emotional book about a teenage boy named Sonny. He is dealing with a lot of things in life. His father has covid and his mum can barley hold things together. He is trying to go forward in life though. The book is so simple but somehow written in a very powerful way that makes the reader actually feel the characters emotions, thoughts, and feelings. Even though the book is supposed to be serious, it still includes some light and funny moments. Overall Stealing Happy is a meaningful book that shows that if you're not happy about something, you will still find hope someday.

Yusra

Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

Stealing Happy is about a boy called Sonny and his family who go into debt from rent and a loan shark ( Chick Lennon ) and they owe over 5500 pounds .The book is about how sonny and his friends steal the money from someone who works for Chick Lennon carrying drugs for him. They got into this because sonny's dad has long covid and was not allowed to work as a postman. This book was very good and action packed because there is always something happening and I would recommend to anyone.

Samuel H

Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

I do not really have many opinions on this book as I do not know many of the words in the story. I can say that the main storyline was a bit interesting of a boy who shouts a LOT and I mean a LOT. He with. two of his friends try to figure out where the money that his mother uses to pay rent is from.

Tahmeed

Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

I thought this book was rather interesting and showcased neural diversity like Tourrettes. I would recommend this book to people older than 13 since it includes adult themes.

Theo

Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

Stealing Happy dives deep into emotions. The novel is set on a realistic stage but the events are more surreal than real. The story follows a teenager navigating strong emotions and difficulties that the teenager has to manage so they don't get caught in one of the most exciting scenes. Conaghan’s very energetic writing really helps us under stand the teenager's feelings. What stands out most is the book’s exploration of happiness not as something easily found, but something that can feel lost, stolen, or rebuilt. The unique narrative voice may take a little getting used to, but it ultimately adds depth and authenticity. Overall, the book was a thriller to read and I didn't want to stop reading it. The book uses neurodiversity like someone writing it had experience. They should keep in mind that Tourette's Is now classified under the Autism umbrella and isn't its own thing, just a trait of Autism.

George

Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

We have 13-year-old Sonny and he has Tourette’s syndrome. He has a teacher who he calls special K and tells all his dreams to him. His family is poor because his dad had an impact from covid and his mum is struggling to get hours at her cleaning company. When Sonny sees Chick Lennon at the door, he realizes that his mum borrowed money for the family. This was when Sonny decided to steal money from Chick Lennon. This book is quite funny although there are some parts where people wouldn’t consider a funny moment.

Ihsan K

Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

It was a good book that dealt with the struggles of poverty and disabilities. I thought that it was a good (if immoral) plan to steal the money. There were some bits that I found hard going, and others that were page-turners. I struggled to imagine what it must be like for sonny, to have Tourette's, a bedbound dad and a struggling mum, and still managing to struggle through it.

connor f

Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

Stealing happy is an absolute masterpiece and I feel it has a unique story that no other book has. It was gripping and enjoyable my only criticism is that it was a bit jumbled a times with a lot going on.

Henry D

Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

Thirteen-year-old Sonny Gilmour lives on the 13th floor of a Scottish council flat—a place he considers his "safe haven" despite the stinking lifts and cramped quarters. However, his world is crumbling. His father is disabled by Long Covid, and his mother is struggling to keep up with the rent after her cleaning hours are cut. When the notorious loan shark Chick Lennon shows up at their door, Sonny realizes his mother has borrowed money just to survive. Desperate to reclaim his family's joy, Sonny teams up with his best mate Jonah and the quiet genius Carolina Swift to hatch a plan: rob Chick Lennon. I liked this book because it’s funny even when things are dark.

Patrick J

Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

This book was very entertaining, despite being a little confusing at the start - due to the use of very informal language and clear plot, until later in the book - it was still very interesting and had a great story. The story itself progressed quite slowly, however, it was still enjoyable and had some very exciting moments. The characters were quite diverse (like the main character, Sonny) and made the book a lot more fun to read.

Theo dP

Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group