The Gifted, the Talented and Me

SUNDAY TIMES CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE YEAR 2019Laugh-out-loud funny and instantly recognisable – not since The Inbetweeners has a coming of age story been so irreverent and relatable. Fifteen-year-old Sam is not a famous vlogger, he’s never gone viral, and he doesn’t want to be the Next Big Thing. In fact he’s ordinary and proud of it.

None of which was a problem until Dad got rich and Mum made the whole family move to London. Now Sam’s off to the North London Academy for the Gifted and Talented, where everyone’s busy planning Hollywood domination or starting alt-metal psychedelica crossover bands. Sam knows he’ll never belong, even if he wanted to.

And that’s before he ends up on stage wearing nothing but a fur onesie … A brilliantly funny look at fitting in, falling out and staying true to your own averageness