Blurb; Matthew is 14 and is struggling to fit in – something that’s extra hard when you’re taking care of your mum, being bullied at school, and have earned the nickname Stinky Mog because of your poor personal hygiene. On top of all that, he wants to catch the attention of one of the coolest girls in school, Ari. Ari doesn’t walk: she floats, like mist on the water. And she’s as sporty as she is cool. When Ari’s brand new bike is stolen, Matthew spots his chance to make a good impression by getting it back for her… But will he just end up in even more trouble or is Matthew is about to learn that friendship and heroes can be found in unlikely places? This is a gritty yet touching story of one teenager’s struggles with bullying and isolation, written by Carnegie Medal Winning author Anthony McGowan, and is perfect for less-confident readers.
My Review; This is a short read for older children all about a child nicknamed ‘stinky mog’. He’s not popular. He’s a loner. An outsider. He decides to change that when a popular students bike gets stolen, he tries to be the hero & get it back… Will his plan work? Will they accept him? Will he still be stinky mog?
This is a book a lot of children can relate too. Not everyone has to be popular. You be you. It’s a brave story. Challenging his fear. Pushing his limits. He just wants to be accepted, acknowledged and appreciated. He doesn’t want to be popular, but he doesn’t want to be stinky mog either. A brilliant read. I really enjoyed it so I think children will love it. A well deserved four stars, highly recommend.
Between The Pages Book Club 
I’ve never heard of this book, but it sounds interesting (I do have a book by Anthony McGowen on my Kindle but I haven’t read it yet.) This is going on the ol’ to-read list, nice review! 🙂
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