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Crongton: Crongton Knights
On sale
3rd March 2016
Price: £8.99
YA Book Prize, 2017
Winner of the Guardian Children Fiction’s Prize 2016
Shortlisted for the YA Book Prize 2017
Living on the South Crongton council estate has its worries – and life for McKay has been even tougher since his mum died.
His dad has been working all hours to keep the bailiffs from their door.
His brother is always out riding the streets at night, tempting trouble.
And now, having strayed off his turf on a ‘heroic’ (if misguided) mission to help out a girl, McKay finds himself facing a friend’s crazy ex-boyfriend, some power-tripping hood-rats and a notoriously violent gangster with a vendetta which hits too close to home.
Poor McKay. He never asked for trouble . . . But during one madcap night of adventure and danger, he will find out who his true friends are and what it means to stick with your family.
Crongton Knights is a very funny, very moving story that shows that although life is testing, the lessons learned the hard way are the ones you’ll never forget.
Shortlisted for the YA Book Prize 2017
Living on the South Crongton council estate has its worries – and life for McKay has been even tougher since his mum died.
His dad has been working all hours to keep the bailiffs from their door.
His brother is always out riding the streets at night, tempting trouble.
And now, having strayed off his turf on a ‘heroic’ (if misguided) mission to help out a girl, McKay finds himself facing a friend’s crazy ex-boyfriend, some power-tripping hood-rats and a notoriously violent gangster with a vendetta which hits too close to home.
Poor McKay. He never asked for trouble . . . But during one madcap night of adventure and danger, he will find out who his true friends are and what it means to stick with your family.
Crongton Knights is a very funny, very moving story that shows that although life is testing, the lessons learned the hard way are the ones you’ll never forget.
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Reviews
Written in an energetic, rhythmic vernacular, Alex Wheatle's award-winning Liccle Bit and Crongton Knights were funny, profane, well-observed accounts of life on an urban estate
Hopeful, warm and, above all, funny
Brilliant, tough, heartbreaking read.
I love this book. It's elegant, authentic and humane. It hums with the beat of real life and the language sings from the page. This is mature, powerful writing by an author with great talent and great heart.
Wheatle's writing is poetic, rhythmic and unique, remaking the English language with tremendous verve. Though Crongton is his invention, it resonates with many urban situations, not only in Britain but around the world. Crongton Knights is a major novel from a major voice in British children's literature.
[This] will soon be on school reading lists and examination syllabuses everywhere, as it has "classic" singing from every page ... A joyous shout of youthful exuberance ... Wheatle's Twain-like command of patois never falters ... Enriching and life-affirming ... A total gem for any age.
A fast-paced, funny ride.