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The Truth of Things
Rook. La speranza del corvo
Quando Kenny e il fratello Nicky raccolgono un corvo in agonia, Kenny vuole salvarlo a ogni costo. Nicky non è tanto sicuro che ce la farà, ma ha altro di cui preoccuparsi: a scuola ci sono Stanno e i suoi amici che non lo lasciano in pace, e poi si è innamorato. Nicky vorrebbe farsi valere, ma niente va secondo i suoi piani... e presto si ritrova in una situazione che ha il sapore dell'incubo. Età di lettura: da 10 anni.
144 pages, Paperback
First published June 15, 2017
6 people are currently reading
174 people want to read
About the author
Anthony McGowan
88 books83 followersAnthony John McGowan is an English author of books for children, teenagers and adults. He is the winner of the 2020 CILIP Carnegie Medal for Lark. In addition to his 2020 win, he has been twice longlisted (for The Knife That Killed Me in 2008 and Brock in 2014) and once shortlisted (for Rook in 2018) for the CILIP Carnegie Medal, and is the winner of the 2006 Booktrust Teenage Prize for Henry Tumour.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
August 26, 2019
A quick compelling read for young people
More thoughts to come
More thoughts to come
May 19, 2018
Rook by Anthony McGowan is a book shortlisted for the 2018 Carnegie Medal, a literary prize I like to look into every year even though I end up hating most of the books on the shortlist. I had a lovely surprise when reading this one! Considering this was the first book I had read off the Carnegie list, it was not too awful at all! 2.5-3 stars is fantastic for Carnegie, believe you me. I did predict that this might be one of the books I find the most bearable and that prediction was completely accurate.
Essentially, this book follows two young brothers named Kenny and Nicky who live with their divorced dad and his girlfriend. Their father is a little dysfunctional and is trying to sort his life out; Nicky is secondary school age and Kenny is slightly younger. In the opening of the book, the two boys are on a dog walk and they find a rook (hence the title) which has just been attacked by a sparrowhawk and is lying on the ground bedraggled and dying. Kenny, with his young personality, is desperate to take this animal home and nurse it better, to which Nicky eventually does agree. The two boys subsequently take the animal home.
Other various subplots include Nicky having a crush on somebody at school for his first time, that girl’s elder brother who torments and bullies Nicky, whilst also dealing with family issues between the two brothers and their father. The book continues as follows really!
Contrary to inevitable belief upon looking at the cover and blurb, this book does leave you with a lot to say and a lot to think about after finishing it in terms of what themes it discusses. However, something I will say immediately before going into themes is that this did not feel like reading a novel: it felt like reading a short story.
Believe me, that is not a bad thing! The book is 123 pages long and it has possibly the biggest font I have ever seen in a book that is not a children’s book or a picture book. It does certainly feel like the sort of book you could read in one sitting - I read it in an evening - and because of the big font and small page count, the story feels like it comes and goes very quickly. That I really liked about this!
I would not have wanted this book any longer than it was: I feel that extending its length would have been a serious push on the boundaries of reader-patience. But I think that because it was so short, I was able to enjoy it as much as I could possibly enjoy it and the themes were conveyed and stuck in my mind as well as they could possibly have done because there was no boredom or exasperation with the book going on too long. No exasperation meant the positive qualities of the book stuck in my mind and it meant that I may have even been starting to enjoy a Carnegie shortlisted book and that is very commendable indeed.
In terms of themes, this book really surprised me! The main two plotpoints really are finding the rook and seeing how its condition improves, and Nicky’s massive crush on his girl at school. But regardless of that, those plot areas were not really the point of the book, per se; the main focus, for me, was learning to deal and co-operate with family, atonement for past mistakes, doing the right thing even if it is the hardest thing, endurance during hard times, the benefits of that, not retaliating to vile people, the consequences of succumbing to retaliation, and learning to accept the world as it is without telling small lies to cover up the harshness of the world.
A brilliant way the latter is illustrated is through the rook storyline: Kenny, of course, is desperate for this messed up, vulnerable bird to live after suffering such a vicious attack. Whereas Nicky, with more maturity and also with age and being a teenager, he is thinking that Kenny needs to be spoon fed the cruel reality of life. He disapproves of his dad saying to Kenny “do not worry; your bird will be fine” because the lies are protecting him and not exposing him to the cold reality that Kenny needs, in Nicky’s opinion, to be exposed to.
Additionally, it turns out quite early on that Kenny has a best friend at school who claims that he is Doctor Who (the fun of children) and that he has all these powers. In reality, he has showed Kenny a few card tricks and basic magic up-the-sleeve illusions and that has convinced Kenny enough considering he is very young. As the book goes on and more trauma accumulates, Nicky becomes more exasperated at this and thinks to himself ‘Kenny needs to know’.
There are lots of other themes in this book as well: there was certainly an emphasis placed on making up for mistakes and doing the right thing even if it is very difficult. Through all that, there was an extra message of sticking through rough and hard times in order to eventually get the best eventual outcome and how if one does not do that, the outcomes can vary and change much for the worst.
Bizarrely, actually, I could sit here for a long while writing about how all of the themes mentioned in bold above are used and interwoven into the plot of this book. It certainly is not a book which will let you down in terms of themes. In that respect, it did very well indeed!
As a short story itself, it also was quite satisfactory. The storyline as a whole was very poignant and very meaningful. I liked very much how there was more than one storyline and the two storylines were fairly different so they seemed unconnected and added more variety to the story but then at the same time, they still shared very relevant themes.
Overall, I would recommend this to people who like books with themes and also to people who like short stories. I will say that if you do not like books that are very much focused around young teenagers and if you do not like books that can get quite angsty, I would NOT go for this book. I usually am that person and I did not suffer from that when reading this book but I certainly can see why some readers still would; I would therefore caution against that.
Overall, however, this was a very satisfying start to the Carnegie reviewing. It is rare to find a book on the shortlist in which I can see quite a few positive traits. Rook was that book! Therefore I would recommend it based on what is said above.
Essentially, this book follows two young brothers named Kenny and Nicky who live with their divorced dad and his girlfriend. Their father is a little dysfunctional and is trying to sort his life out; Nicky is secondary school age and Kenny is slightly younger. In the opening of the book, the two boys are on a dog walk and they find a rook (hence the title) which has just been attacked by a sparrowhawk and is lying on the ground bedraggled and dying. Kenny, with his young personality, is desperate to take this animal home and nurse it better, to which Nicky eventually does agree. The two boys subsequently take the animal home.
Other various subplots include Nicky having a crush on somebody at school for his first time, that girl’s elder brother who torments and bullies Nicky, whilst also dealing with family issues between the two brothers and their father. The book continues as follows really!
Contrary to inevitable belief upon looking at the cover and blurb, this book does leave you with a lot to say and a lot to think about after finishing it in terms of what themes it discusses. However, something I will say immediately before going into themes is that this did not feel like reading a novel: it felt like reading a short story.
Believe me, that is not a bad thing! The book is 123 pages long and it has possibly the biggest font I have ever seen in a book that is not a children’s book or a picture book. It does certainly feel like the sort of book you could read in one sitting - I read it in an evening - and because of the big font and small page count, the story feels like it comes and goes very quickly. That I really liked about this!
I would not have wanted this book any longer than it was: I feel that extending its length would have been a serious push on the boundaries of reader-patience. But I think that because it was so short, I was able to enjoy it as much as I could possibly enjoy it and the themes were conveyed and stuck in my mind as well as they could possibly have done because there was no boredom or exasperation with the book going on too long. No exasperation meant the positive qualities of the book stuck in my mind and it meant that I may have even been starting to enjoy a Carnegie shortlisted book and that is very commendable indeed.
In terms of themes, this book really surprised me! The main two plotpoints really are finding the rook and seeing how its condition improves, and Nicky’s massive crush on his girl at school. But regardless of that, those plot areas were not really the point of the book, per se; the main focus, for me, was learning to deal and co-operate with family, atonement for past mistakes, doing the right thing even if it is the hardest thing, endurance during hard times, the benefits of that, not retaliating to vile people, the consequences of succumbing to retaliation, and learning to accept the world as it is without telling small lies to cover up the harshness of the world.
A brilliant way the latter is illustrated is through the rook storyline: Kenny, of course, is desperate for this messed up, vulnerable bird to live after suffering such a vicious attack. Whereas Nicky, with more maturity and also with age and being a teenager, he is thinking that Kenny needs to be spoon fed the cruel reality of life. He disapproves of his dad saying to Kenny “do not worry; your bird will be fine” because the lies are protecting him and not exposing him to the cold reality that Kenny needs, in Nicky’s opinion, to be exposed to.
Additionally, it turns out quite early on that Kenny has a best friend at school who claims that he is Doctor Who (the fun of children) and that he has all these powers. In reality, he has showed Kenny a few card tricks and basic magic up-the-sleeve illusions and that has convinced Kenny enough considering he is very young. As the book goes on and more trauma accumulates, Nicky becomes more exasperated at this and thinks to himself ‘Kenny needs to know’.
There are lots of other themes in this book as well: there was certainly an emphasis placed on making up for mistakes and doing the right thing even if it is very difficult. Through all that, there was an extra message of sticking through rough and hard times in order to eventually get the best eventual outcome and how if one does not do that, the outcomes can vary and change much for the worst.
Bizarrely, actually, I could sit here for a long while writing about how all of the themes mentioned in bold above are used and interwoven into the plot of this book. It certainly is not a book which will let you down in terms of themes. In that respect, it did very well indeed!
As a short story itself, it also was quite satisfactory. The storyline as a whole was very poignant and very meaningful. I liked very much how there was more than one storyline and the two storylines were fairly different so they seemed unconnected and added more variety to the story but then at the same time, they still shared very relevant themes.
Overall, I would recommend this to people who like books with themes and also to people who like short stories. I will say that if you do not like books that are very much focused around young teenagers and if you do not like books that can get quite angsty, I would NOT go for this book. I usually am that person and I did not suffer from that when reading this book but I certainly can see why some readers still would; I would therefore caution against that.
Overall, however, this was a very satisfying start to the Carnegie reviewing. It is rare to find a book on the shortlist in which I can see quite a few positive traits. Rook was that book! Therefore I would recommend it based on what is said above.
March 9, 2018
2018 CARNEGIE LONGLIST BOOK 9/20
1.5
I struggle to review this book because there is literally nothing that I want to say about it. It is such an unremarkable book, there was literally nothing I enjoyed about this book. It was such a boring story, there really nothing special about it. I think that I am just very bitter because it is NOMINATED FOR AN AWARD, and I have wracked my brain trying to find a reason why, even a message that could possibly be spread by it, even if I don't agree with it, but there is literally nothing. I am just very annoyed because there are a load of other awesome books that were nominated for the Carnegie Award but not chosen, and so I gave this a low rating. I don't really know why the author even chose to write about this, because there is like no plot.
boy finds injured bird with his brother.
boy admits that he has crush.
boy does bad thing and fears crush will hate him.
boy learns lessons and doesn't do any more bad things.
^ actual summary of plot. Wondering where the bird went? Yeah, it literally vanishes halfway through so I don't really know why it was presented as such a big part of the story.
The writing was really annoying and emotionless. I can't even say that this book was suggested for beautiful prose. Again, the only way I can describe it is as unremarkable. There was nothing beautiful about it. It wasn't very cringey, but just boring. I'm glad this book wasn't longer than 150 pages because I don't think I would have got through it other wise. That being said, the fact that it is only a novella makes it seem like such a pointless and forgettable read. If it had been longer, maybe the characters would have been further developed, and the plot more interesting. As it was, it all felt very flat.
I have nothing more to say. This was a forgettable read in which I was bored. Not really sure why this is on the Carnegie longlist, but I don't think it should win. It is just so undeveloped and there are better books on there that deserve places in the spotlight.
1.5
I struggle to review this book because there is literally nothing that I want to say about it. It is such an unremarkable book, there was literally nothing I enjoyed about this book. It was such a boring story, there really nothing special about it. I think that I am just very bitter because it is NOMINATED FOR AN AWARD, and I have wracked my brain trying to find a reason why, even a message that could possibly be spread by it, even if I don't agree with it, but there is literally nothing. I am just very annoyed because there are a load of other awesome books that were nominated for the Carnegie Award but not chosen, and so I gave this a low rating. I don't really know why the author even chose to write about this, because there is like no plot.
boy finds injured bird with his brother.
boy admits that he has crush.
boy does bad thing and fears crush will hate him.
boy learns lessons and doesn't do any more bad things.
^ actual summary of plot. Wondering where the bird went? Yeah, it literally vanishes halfway through so I don't really know why it was presented as such a big part of the story.
The writing was really annoying and emotionless. I can't even say that this book was suggested for beautiful prose. Again, the only way I can describe it is as unremarkable. There was nothing beautiful about it. It wasn't very cringey, but just boring. I'm glad this book wasn't longer than 150 pages because I don't think I would have got through it other wise. That being said, the fact that it is only a novella makes it seem like such a pointless and forgettable read. If it had been longer, maybe the characters would have been further developed, and the plot more interesting. As it was, it all felt very flat.
I have nothing more to say. This was a forgettable read in which I was bored. Not really sure why this is on the Carnegie longlist, but I don't think it should win. It is just so undeveloped and there are better books on there that deserve places in the spotlight.
July 8, 2020
Absolutely superb teen read from the author who won this year’s Carnegie. This is a prequel to the Carnegie winning book. I’ve just bought it for a 14 year old lad who I know will like it. It has fart jokes, rude language, and tons of positivity all set in a completely down to earth, normal family. And by normal I mean a family with problems. It made me laugh til I cried, and it made my cry. The language may be simple but the message of this book is incredibly important. It’s about accepting people for who they are, loving the people who are important in your life, and having the courage to stand up when you know you’ve done something stupid.
April 8, 2018
I am feeling mean, This book is written so horribly I don't like it. The first is that there was no emotions, and the rook isn't really mentioned for the whole of the book. everything was going so badly and his life was falling into a complete toilet but then half a page later it was all sorted like this.
November 10, 2021
Great to have come across these books courtesy of my local library (I’m one of those readers who fall for the librarians’ displays every time: “Ooh, this looks interesting!”). Good to have something to recommend to reluctant teenage boys readers!
March 21, 2018
This novella might make more sense alongside its companion pieces, though it does stand-alone.
The plot is straightforward. A rook is injured. Nicky and his younger brother Kenny, who has learning difficulties, find it and take it home. Alongside this we learn Nicky is being bullied and has a crush. He does something silly, realises his mistake and it’s all sorted. The bird is also okay.
There are some strong sections in here. The opening, told from the rook’s point of view, is an evocative piece of writing. McGowan often captures a moment perfectly. Unfortunately, there’s an over-reliance on toilet humour, the staccato style might fit intended reluctant readers but it truncated everything and never lets us get beneath the surface in the way that helps us empathise fully, and the whole detail of the rook felt superfluous as it was absent for such a large proportion of the book.
Like a number of reviewers, I am surprised at the inclusion of this on the 2018 Carnegie Awards. It’s not that it’s bad, but there were (in my view) better books on the long list/nominations.
The plot is straightforward. A rook is injured. Nicky and his younger brother Kenny, who has learning difficulties, find it and take it home. Alongside this we learn Nicky is being bullied and has a crush. He does something silly, realises his mistake and it’s all sorted. The bird is also okay.
There are some strong sections in here. The opening, told from the rook’s point of view, is an evocative piece of writing. McGowan often captures a moment perfectly. Unfortunately, there’s an over-reliance on toilet humour, the staccato style might fit intended reluctant readers but it truncated everything and never lets us get beneath the surface in the way that helps us empathise fully, and the whole detail of the rook felt superfluous as it was absent for such a large proportion of the book.
Like a number of reviewers, I am surprised at the inclusion of this on the 2018 Carnegie Awards. It’s not that it’s bad, but there were (in my view) better books on the long list/nominations.
May 18, 2025
I read this right after the first book aka my favourite in the series, so it didn't land as well. I thought Nicky was behaving like a creep and ass even though I empathised with him. I also wish certain parts were more fleshed out. Unlike in Brock, the animal rescue wasn't really a huge part of the story.
Nevertheless, this was an enjoyable read in the series and it was nice to get more of the brothers.
Nevertheless, this was an enjoyable read in the series and it was nice to get more of the brothers.
September 5, 2019
This is a beautifully written, quick read. It starts off with an injured rook, who is taken in by Nicky and his brother, Kenny. But Nicky has much bigger problems to sort out: a school bully and the fact that he's fallen for the bully's sister. Nicky is a great character and narrator who makes some cringe-worthy mistakes, and you will be rooting for him as things lurch from bad to worse!
May 24, 2020
This is a lovely story about the dynamics between two brothers.
What also makes me give it such a high rating is the fact that several of my reluctant readers (I'm an English teacher) finished it voluntarily when I haven't seen them get through another book.
What also makes me give it such a high rating is the fact that several of my reluctant readers (I'm an English teacher) finished it voluntarily when I haven't seen them get through another book.
April 1, 2018
Novella of bullying, first love and family
I read Brock a few years ago, though I haven't yet read Pike. This follows on, but I would say that you can read it as a standalone without an issue.
Designed for struggling/reluctant readers, these are great stories for any teenage reader, with issues of ostensibly animal welfare, but this is tangential to the human story running through them - the story of brothers Nicky and Kenny.
Nicky looks out for his learning disabled brother, and in each short story, the two bond and deal with issues in their own lives at the same time as helping an animal. This time, we have the bird's-eye-view (pun intended) as a young rook is attacked by another and left for dead, to be found by the teenage brothers and nursed by them and their barely-making-ends-meet dad.
This story is one of Nicky dealing with a crush on a girl at school as well as bullies. It's a great lesson in coping with these kinds of adolescent problems, with some unexpected consequences.
If it didn't follow on so well from the previous stories, with animals pushing the story along, the plot does not require Rooky to keep moving.
Kenny is rather adorable, and Nicky a sympathetic teenager. Their story could end here or there could be room for further episodes. It's a great 100-page book, gritty enough to keep the interest of a reluctant reader and adult enough to make them feel respected.
I read Brock a few years ago, though I haven't yet read Pike. This follows on, but I would say that you can read it as a standalone without an issue.
Designed for struggling/reluctant readers, these are great stories for any teenage reader, with issues of ostensibly animal welfare, but this is tangential to the human story running through them - the story of brothers Nicky and Kenny.
Nicky looks out for his learning disabled brother, and in each short story, the two bond and deal with issues in their own lives at the same time as helping an animal. This time, we have the bird's-eye-view (pun intended) as a young rook is attacked by another and left for dead, to be found by the teenage brothers and nursed by them and their barely-making-ends-meet dad.
This story is one of Nicky dealing with a crush on a girl at school as well as bullies. It's a great lesson in coping with these kinds of adolescent problems, with some unexpected consequences.
If it didn't follow on so well from the previous stories, with animals pushing the story along, the plot does not require Rooky to keep moving.
Kenny is rather adorable, and Nicky a sympathetic teenager. Their story could end here or there could be room for further episodes. It's a great 100-page book, gritty enough to keep the interest of a reluctant reader and adult enough to make them feel respected.
April 20, 2018
Nicky and Kenny live with their previously single father shift-worker dad and most of the time, his girlfriend Jenny. It seems that since Jenny's arrival, life has got easier in the household, with barren years of cold rooms, dirty clothes and beans on toast hopefully gone for good. Nicky, a year 11 pupil, is the narrator- a middle of the road kid of kid. Not popular, but not the absolute bottom of the pile. Money is tight, opportunities are few and he gets a lot of hassle about his younger brother, Kenny, who has a learning disability and goes to a special school.
Out walking their dog one day, Kenny and Nicky come across a half-dead Rook- the victim of a particularly powerful sparrowhawk. They take it home to nurse back to health, like they did with a badger one time. Kenny is relentlessly, tirelessly kind, and Nicky just wants him to be happy. The rook acts as a bit of a fable-narrative. A reminder that things can look desperate sometimes, and then they can seem hopeless entirely, but sometimes situations can be misread. Nicky learns, via the allegory of the rook, to have a bit more faith in the world.
I liked Nicky as a narrator, he seemed real and was very endearing. He has a bit of a tough time throughout the book- frustrated, wrongly blamed for something. He makes some bad choices, but it's easy to see how they might have seemed sensible or necessary at the time. He is angry, often very bottled-up and fiercely protective of his family. He's basically just your average, angry, mixed up teen, languishing under the poverty line and left for collateral, trying to keep his head above water at home and at school.
The real strength of the novella is the relationship between Nicky and Kenny. Nicky is a very honest narrator, he talks about how he'd always imagined that Kenny only really ever existed in relation to him, like if he was out of sight, he ceased to exist. There's a refreshingness about somebody so candidly talking about something that the acknowledge was wrong of them. It's an interesting journey that Nicky goes on, in how he relates to the world around him. Kenny is a wonderful character. He's funny and stubborn and brilliant, and he loves Nicky to bits.
Reading this as accessible, low ability high interesting fiction, it is excellent. It's gritty and realistic, full of themes of injustice and poverty, and a good Coming of Age story about bullying and crushes and being a bit of a loser but resolving to be the best person you can be. Another cracker from Barrington Stoke.
Out walking their dog one day, Kenny and Nicky come across a half-dead Rook- the victim of a particularly powerful sparrowhawk. They take it home to nurse back to health, like they did with a badger one time. Kenny is relentlessly, tirelessly kind, and Nicky just wants him to be happy. The rook acts as a bit of a fable-narrative. A reminder that things can look desperate sometimes, and then they can seem hopeless entirely, but sometimes situations can be misread. Nicky learns, via the allegory of the rook, to have a bit more faith in the world.
I liked Nicky as a narrator, he seemed real and was very endearing. He has a bit of a tough time throughout the book- frustrated, wrongly blamed for something. He makes some bad choices, but it's easy to see how they might have seemed sensible or necessary at the time. He is angry, often very bottled-up and fiercely protective of his family. He's basically just your average, angry, mixed up teen, languishing under the poverty line and left for collateral, trying to keep his head above water at home and at school.
The real strength of the novella is the relationship between Nicky and Kenny. Nicky is a very honest narrator, he talks about how he'd always imagined that Kenny only really ever existed in relation to him, like if he was out of sight, he ceased to exist. There's a refreshingness about somebody so candidly talking about something that the acknowledge was wrong of them. It's an interesting journey that Nicky goes on, in how he relates to the world around him. Kenny is a wonderful character. He's funny and stubborn and brilliant, and he loves Nicky to bits.
Reading this as accessible, low ability high interesting fiction, it is excellent. It's gritty and realistic, full of themes of injustice and poverty, and a good Coming of Age story about bullying and crushes and being a bit of a loser but resolving to be the best person you can be. Another cracker from Barrington Stoke.
April 5, 2021
When I was starting to read this book, I didn't want to read it all, because the story was super tragic. There was a bully named Stanno, and he always tried to bully Nicky, who was the main character of the book. But Nicky was in a hard situation, because he loved Nicky's sister Sarah, who was in the same grade with him. One day, Nicky made up his mind to stand up to Stan, and show him that he wasn't afraid of him. But he did it on the wrong timing. Stanno sometimes had epilepsy, which made him lost his mind. But when he was just about to have a fit, Nicky pushed him on the shoulders. It was a very weak push, but Stanno fainted. Although the epilepsy was going to come anyway, adults believed that Nciky did it. Stanno's mom said that Nicky was an animal, and the head master also blamed him. So Nicky said "Fuck off~", and ran out of school. the next day, he got expelled. But later, when Sarah and Nicky met, Sarah already noticed that. it wasn't Nicky's fault. Stan also knew it, so he told his parents about it. So in the end, Nicky was back to school, and he became friends with Sarah. I was glad that the story was a happy ending, and Nicky did not get expelled. And I also think that Sarah is a very nice person because she knew what was right and made the situation better, so I hope Nicky and Sarah can become good friends.
March 27, 2018
Well. There are two different sides to this review: the good and the bad. On one side, I was unable to put this book down - but I'm like that with every book. On the other side, this book had a very simple plot - I could write it (I'm twelve). In this book, there is a rook. It gets hurt and two brothers rescue it. Meanwhile, the older boy is getting bullied about his brother who has special needs. The older boy falls in love. Something happens to the bully. It gets resolved. The End. So, in conclusion, I enjoyed reading it but was annoyed with how simple and predictable the storyline was.
February 7, 2019
A joy to read.
May 7, 2024
I chose to read this as rooks keep being mentioned in the books I’m reading. I thought this might tell me the significance of it. It didn’t. But it was a really lovely short book.
June 27, 2020
I like how this subtley changed from the very much nature focus and the relationships between the brothers in books 1 and 2, to looking more at Nicky. Really enjoyed it!
July 1, 2020
Reading about Nicky and Kenny's family is a delightful treat. This time it's an injured bird that brings them all together but Nicky has other things on his mind.
May 26, 2022
I absolutely adore these books. I want more stories of Kenny and Nicky and their family. Beautifully written, astute observations of real life, engaging storylines. Bravo sir.
April 3, 2018
A nice little story which talks about bullying. I liked the characters but it kept referring back to previous stories that feature the characters.
January 14, 2021
Anthony McGowan’s writing is just marvellous. The opening chapter, written from the rook’s perspective, is almost poetic. The episode about the revolting fart is hilarious. Short, sharp, true to life and with essential and universal truths. All teens should discover this author.
April 6, 2018
Rook is a book aimed at dyslexic and perhaps reluctant readers, and it hits the mark with gritty and unpatronising content and a relatable storyline.
It’s shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal, and it’s good to see a book of this kind recognised in this way. I’d certainly like to use this book in class with teenage readers, who I think would be engaged by the the narrator, Nicky.
There is some really lovely language in the opening chapter, which is told from the rook’s point of view.
For most, this is a quick read, but that does not diminish its heart.
It’s shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal, and it’s good to see a book of this kind recognised in this way. I’d certainly like to use this book in class with teenage readers, who I think would be engaged by the the narrator, Nicky.
There is some really lovely language in the opening chapter, which is told from the rook’s point of view.
For most, this is a quick read, but that does not diminish its heart.
April 1, 2018
I would recommend the book for struggling readers. Perhaps dyslexic and maybe also for young people with mild autism. I'm taking out reluctant readers. This book starts slowly and you just have to have something to hold to make you stay with it. Kenny, maybe. Or the rook itself and Kenny's fascination with it. I also like the warmth of the relationship between Kenny and his brother Nicky. A nice, warm and engaging read.
July 15, 2024
Each book in the series stands alone, but I love how the whole series weaves together. Great books for middle school and high school boys. Short and simple but with themes appropriate for older students.
April 26, 2018
I didn't love this book, but for those of you wondering why the book is called 'Rook' when it's not just a story about a rook... Guys, I think the rook is a metaphor... A metaphor fairly explicitly explained in the closing pages. Yes, this was an easy read, but perhaps you read it a little too quickly if you are failing to see the tiny amount of subtext going on here.
April 22, 2018
Rook is such a lovely story. It focuses on the relationship between two brothers and their dad. It is only a short read but is a coming-of-age drama. It is about growing up with a brother with special needs, without a mum, and about living in socio-economic hardship. It is a lovely story which is very uplifting.
Rook by Anthony McGowan is available now.
For more information regarding Anthony McGowan (@anthony_mcgowan) please visit www.anthonymcgowan.com.
For more information regarding Barrington Stoke (@BarringtonStoke) please visit www.barringtonstoke.co.uk.
Rook by Anthony McGowan is available now.
For more information regarding Anthony McGowan (@anthony_mcgowan) please visit www.anthonymcgowan.com.
For more information regarding Barrington Stoke (@BarringtonStoke) please visit www.barringtonstoke.co.uk.
April 24, 2018
Really nice, heart warming story touching on the motives and reasons behind bullies' actions. Finished in around an hour and a half. Light and easy for any reader who fancies a break from denser more difficult books. takes you through the head of a typical teenage boy lower down the scale of popularity... first experiences with love and life in a flawed family. Overall thoroughly enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend.
April 24, 2018
I really enjoyed this quick, sweet story. It’s a short book, but doesn’t necessarily read like one, as Anthony McGowan’s writing style is not rushed. The language is accessible, but also beautifully descriptive, especially at the points focusing on the rook. It is also sometimes hilarious, for example there’s a long drawn out section all about how bad a fart smells. Recounting this now, it seems like it shouldn’t have been that funny, but trust me, it really was. Beyond this, it’s just a great little story. Nicky, the main character is a regular teenage boy who tries to be a good brother, crushes on a girl who is probably out of his league, stays under the radar at school until a bully pushes him too far, and makes mistakes and learns from them. His family is flawed but immensely likeable, and his life just feels...real.
October 24, 2025
A gritty and realistic short story written to appeal to teenagers with lower reading ability, in a dyslexic-friendly format. Possibly more likely to appeal to boys as there is a fair bit of toilet humour.
This is the third in this series following the lives of Nicky and Kenny, but it can easily be read as a standalone. This time the story follows Nicky dealing with bullying, first love, anger and repercussions and family.
After the opening chapter, the rook wasn't as much part of the story as animals have been in the other books in the series. The focus is more on Nicky. I think he will be a relatable protagonist for a fair few of the reluctant/low ability readers this book is aimed at. He's a good lad, he hasn't had the easiest home life and doesn't always think about the consequences of actions but he cares deeply for his family and wants to do the right thing.
This book absolutely serves the purpose of being accessible to lower ability readers while still dealing with topics that are relatable and engaging for teenagers.
This is the third in this series following the lives of Nicky and Kenny, but it can easily be read as a standalone. This time the story follows Nicky dealing with bullying, first love, anger and repercussions and family.
After the opening chapter, the rook wasn't as much part of the story as animals have been in the other books in the series. The focus is more on Nicky. I think he will be a relatable protagonist for a fair few of the reluctant/low ability readers this book is aimed at. He's a good lad, he hasn't had the easiest home life and doesn't always think about the consequences of actions but he cares deeply for his family and wants to do the right thing.
This book absolutely serves the purpose of being accessible to lower ability readers while still dealing with topics that are relatable and engaging for teenagers.
March 31, 2018
There’s a skill to writing a quick read using uncomplicated language that isn’t patronising but will engage teenage readers and Anthony McGowan has it.
Although the plot isn’t complex the main characters are well drawn and some of the descriptive parts are just lovely, particularly those relating to nature.
Nicky’s feelings of anger and confusion are sympathetically described. Despite a bit of swearing, and lots of fart jokes likely to appeal to younger teenage readers, this is a sweet-natured read centering on a character and family that lots of readers will identify with.
Although the plot isn’t complex the main characters are well drawn and some of the descriptive parts are just lovely, particularly those relating to nature.
Nicky’s feelings of anger and confusion are sympathetically described. Despite a bit of swearing, and lots of fart jokes likely to appeal to younger teenage readers, this is a sweet-natured read centering on a character and family that lots of readers will identify with.
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