Mog spends his days at school avoiding the bullies. He and his mates stick together, keep their heads down and watch the power plays and fights between the
bigger kids. These kids are mean, looking to build their reputations in and out of school.
Chris is who Mog and his friends look to and follow. Chris is popular among them, especially to Mog. They understand each other, enjoy their banter and shared humour and hang out together after school. When Mog sees this friendship threatened by another, he’s not sure how to handle it.
Something Mog likes about Chris is his inherent goodness. This isn’t seen as weak or soft, but something that helps the group stay on an even keel. It’s not spoken of, and Chris and Mog enjoy petty crimes as much as the next kid, but they’re not mean.
When Chris slowly allows a new kid into their group – a kid who is bullied daily by the school thugs and deemed a complete loser by all; Mog isn’t happy. He decides to do something about it. His decision has an unexpected ripple effect, changing everything for them all.
Anthony McGowan’s masterful storytelling strikes again. The Fall is a YA novel of grit, peer pressure, friendship dynamics and survival within a school. Individual choices become betrayals that change lives forever. The writing is succinct, powerful, and credible. Written for Dyslexic readers, its no-holds-barred topic and authenticity will grab reluctant readers too.
A scattering of illustrations allow breaks in the text, and the larger font and line spacing also make The Fall a story to readily consume.
This is a superb addition to other stories by McGowan, with teen boys as protagonists, dealing with life and all it has to deal out to them.
Author – Anthony McGowan
Illustrator – Chris King
Reading Age – 7 / Interest Age – 13+
Dyslexic Title
Read the first Chapter here
Read more reviews of Anthony McGowan titles here
(2025, Barrington Stoke, Collins, Friendship, Betrayal, Bullies, Conflict, Crime, Growing up, Historical, Peer Pressure, Popularity, School, Dyslexic, Dyslexia, Reluctant Readers, Beck, Petty Crime, Bullying, Fighting, Gangs, Choices, Polluted Stream)