Hodder Childrens Books A Crongton Story In The Ends Book 4.

by Alex Wheatle

272 pages, Paperback

Published August 17, 2023

About the author

Alex Alphonso Wheatle was a British novelist, who was sentenced to a term of imprisonment after the 1981 Brixton riot in London.

Reviews

[Victoria Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and feel it’s written in a way that would mean some of my older more reluctant readers would enjoy it, but it does contain some swearing which makes it unsuitable for my primary kids. The story is good. It has a realism that I see in some of the children I’ve met; the anxiety but also the acceptance of the world of area wars. Jonah’s family are struggling for money and this is causing problems between his mum and dad. When the local gang leader sets him on a quest to find some, Jonah works with his friends to try and solve the puzzle. It takes them from South Crong to North Crong and into dangerous territory. But is the money worth the risk?

[Tim Roast · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crongton: In the Ends is the fourth book of the Crongton series. No prior knowledge of previous books is required although there are references to previous events throughout so having read them may help fill in more of the detail.

Crongton is a gangland. “You can’t help but bump into gang lords and their followers in and around our estate.” As such the characters talk in street talk, e.g. “in the ends” or if someone is killed they are “deleted”, and there is a bit of swearing in the book too.

This book follows Jonah Hani, a school athlete who lives in one of the blocks of flats in the area. He is part of South Crong and very scared to venture out of it. “The last thing I want in my life is a perilous new mission. But it’s coming…” He and his mates, who call themselves the Crongton Knights, do have a new mission though, right after Jonah gets kidnapped.

The story follows the mission with Jonah and his friends, follows Jonah’s personal life issues – parents breaking up and girl trouble – and follows his athletic pursuits. Nice enough story, you get me?