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Against All Odds: World Book Day 2026: The Sunday Times bestselling teen comedy about friendship, football and finding your voice - from a multi-award-winning author
A HILARIOUS WORLD BOOK DAY COMEDY FOR TEEN READERS FROM THE MULTI-AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR OF STEADY FOR THIS AND KING OF NOTHING!
Noranto knows who he is. Or at least, he thinks he does.
Footballer. Hustler. One of the boys. He's got the playground game on lock and big plans for his mum's surprise birthday party this weekend. But poetry? That's just something he does quietly - in his head, on the bus, between goals.
Until his teacher spots his talent and encourages him to enter a creative writing competition. Noranto laughs it off. No the deadline's in three days and he's already got way too much going on. His mates agree and tell him to stick to what he knows. Poetry doesn't win matches.
But the rhymes won't stop coming. And a little voice inside him keeps What if this is his shot? What if he could do it all?
As the weekend unfolds and obstacles are thrown in his way, Noranto finds himself stuck between what's expected of him and who he really wants to be. Can he find the words in time - and the courage to share them - against all the odds?
A funny and authentic story about the joys and challenges of dreaming big and showing the world you don't have to fit into just one box.
PRAISE FOR STEADY FOR THIS:
WINNER OF THE BRANFORD BOASE AWARD 2024
WINNER OF THE CHILDREN'S DIVERSE BOOK AWARD 2024
SHORTLISTED FOR THE YOTO CARNEGIE MEDAL 2024
SHORTLISTED FOR THE UKLA BOOK AWARD 2024
SHORTLISTED FOR THE JHALAK PRIZE 2024
"Crammed with outrageously hilarious wordplay, Lessore's exuberant debut for 12+ is a southeast London celebration of teen awkwardness, creativity and silly joy." - Guardian
"Funny, original and heart-warming." - The Times
"An engaging, positive and heart-warming read." - BookTrust
PRAISE FOR KING OF NOTHING:
WINNER OF THE WATERSTONES CHILDREN'S BOOK PRIZE FOR OLDER READERS 2025
WINNER OF THE CARNEGIE SHADOWERS' CHOICE MEDAL FOR WRITING 2025
WINNER OF THE JHALAK CHILDREN'S & YOUNG ADULT PRIZE 2025
SHORTLISTED FOR THE UKLA BOOK AWARD 2025
SHORTLISTED FOR AMAZON BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024
"Rib-achingly funny, poignant, thoughtful and sly, Lessore's second novel confirms him as a uniquely talented writer." - Guardian
"Confirms [Nathanael Lessore] as a major new name in writing for younger teenagers . . . an immensely readable book." - The Observer
"This teen comedy really is very funny, while also being meaningful and heartwarming." - iPaper
PRAISE FOR WHAT HAPPENS ONLINE:
"Begins as Adrian Mole for the gaming generation and then becomes, through its big-hearted tale of one awkward teenager's split life between reality and the internet, the kind of book you wish that boy from Adolescence had read [...] A brilliant, heartfelt book about now.
Noranto knows who he is. Or at least, he thinks he does.
Footballer. Hustler. One of the boys. He's got the playground game on lock and big plans for his mum's surprise birthday party this weekend. But poetry? That's just something he does quietly - in his head, on the bus, between goals.
Until his teacher spots his talent and encourages him to enter a creative writing competition. Noranto laughs it off. No the deadline's in three days and he's already got way too much going on. His mates agree and tell him to stick to what he knows. Poetry doesn't win matches.
But the rhymes won't stop coming. And a little voice inside him keeps What if this is his shot? What if he could do it all?
As the weekend unfolds and obstacles are thrown in his way, Noranto finds himself stuck between what's expected of him and who he really wants to be. Can he find the words in time - and the courage to share them - against all the odds?
A funny and authentic story about the joys and challenges of dreaming big and showing the world you don't have to fit into just one box.
PRAISE FOR STEADY FOR THIS:
WINNER OF THE BRANFORD BOASE AWARD 2024
WINNER OF THE CHILDREN'S DIVERSE BOOK AWARD 2024
SHORTLISTED FOR THE YOTO CARNEGIE MEDAL 2024
SHORTLISTED FOR THE UKLA BOOK AWARD 2024
SHORTLISTED FOR THE JHALAK PRIZE 2024
"Crammed with outrageously hilarious wordplay, Lessore's exuberant debut for 12+ is a southeast London celebration of teen awkwardness, creativity and silly joy." - Guardian
"Funny, original and heart-warming." - The Times
"An engaging, positive and heart-warming read." - BookTrust
PRAISE FOR KING OF NOTHING:
WINNER OF THE WATERSTONES CHILDREN'S BOOK PRIZE FOR OLDER READERS 2025
WINNER OF THE CARNEGIE SHADOWERS' CHOICE MEDAL FOR WRITING 2025
WINNER OF THE JHALAK CHILDREN'S & YOUNG ADULT PRIZE 2025
SHORTLISTED FOR THE UKLA BOOK AWARD 2025
SHORTLISTED FOR AMAZON BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024
"Rib-achingly funny, poignant, thoughtful and sly, Lessore's second novel confirms him as a uniquely talented writer." - Guardian
"Confirms [Nathanael Lessore] as a major new name in writing for younger teenagers . . . an immensely readable book." - The Observer
"This teen comedy really is very funny, while also being meaningful and heartwarming." - iPaper
PRAISE FOR WHAT HAPPENS ONLINE:
"Begins as Adrian Mole for the gaming generation and then becomes, through its big-hearted tale of one awkward teenager's split life between reality and the internet, the kind of book you wish that boy from Adolescence had read [...] A brilliant, heartfelt book about now.
- GenresFiction
84 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 12, 2026
9 people are currently reading
17 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 20, 2026
What a great pick for world book day!
February 19, 2026
Nathanael Lessore has kindly contributed a short story towards World Book Day 2026 with Against All Odds. His flash fiction focuses on Noranto whose trying to organise a surprise party for his mum’s birthday while dealing with his desire to enter a poetry competition despite his fears of judgement from friends. The storyline balances these two plot lines well despite the limited size of the short story format.
This plotline of “jock who needs to hide his true self” story where athlete’s desire to explore a more creative hobby is prevented by the expectations of his peers has been exhausted from High School Musical retellings. This storyline is recycled through media in an attempt to encourage less likely readers to branch out their interests, but unfortunately this often comes across as cringe worthy, corny and clichéd. We can see how Noranto’s rap lyrics become more poetic by the end of the text, his final poem is adequate but nothing groundbreaking and after reading I was left feeling underwhelmed with the recycled trope.
Noranto is conflicted about pursuing his creative side until he realises his interest in poetry can be compared to his fascination with rap music. His apprehension is emphasised with his friends judgement, which reflects his own fears of being taunted for enjoying a form deemed feminine or bookish in the eyes of contemporary teenagers.
Noranto’s race is a huge factor in this flash fiction, and we see how this contributes to his peers expectations of him and what he feels he should enjoy. He sadly experiences prejudice and stereotyping from shop assistants which we except he wouldn’t if he was a white character. We understand that Noranto is from a lower income family, and we witness him hustling for pocket money to attempt to purchase his mothers gifts and him shopping in budget shops. However this isn’t portrayed as a pity trope as Noranto’s resolve to celebrate with his mother isn’t determined on the cash he spends.
This plotline of “jock who needs to hide his true self” story where athlete’s desire to explore a more creative hobby is prevented by the expectations of his peers has been exhausted from High School Musical retellings. This storyline is recycled through media in an attempt to encourage less likely readers to branch out their interests, but unfortunately this often comes across as cringe worthy, corny and clichéd. We can see how Noranto’s rap lyrics become more poetic by the end of the text, his final poem is adequate but nothing groundbreaking and after reading I was left feeling underwhelmed with the recycled trope.
Noranto is conflicted about pursuing his creative side until he realises his interest in poetry can be compared to his fascination with rap music. His apprehension is emphasised with his friends judgement, which reflects his own fears of being taunted for enjoying a form deemed feminine or bookish in the eyes of contemporary teenagers.
Noranto’s race is a huge factor in this flash fiction, and we see how this contributes to his peers expectations of him and what he feels he should enjoy. He sadly experiences prejudice and stereotyping from shop assistants which we except he wouldn’t if he was a white character. We understand that Noranto is from a lower income family, and we witness him hustling for pocket money to attempt to purchase his mothers gifts and him shopping in budget shops. However this isn’t portrayed as a pity trope as Noranto’s resolve to celebrate with his mother isn’t determined on the cash he spends.
March 3, 2026
Marketed as the teen reader option of the World Book Day £1 books but it's still suitable for younger readers.
Noranto wrote a poem for his English class that his teacher was really impressed with. She encourages him to write another for a competition. Noranto laughs it off saying he isn't a writer but his teachers prompts him to see how much he enjoyed the process. He agrees but it's not good timing as he is also organising a surprise birthday party for his mum this weekend.
He tries to think up rhymes as he goes about his day. His friends learn what he is up to and while some are supportive others mock him. The book also focuses on family as Noranto must take care of his cousins, while secretly finishing preparations for the party.
The book has a positive message about doing what you like and are good at, rather than worrying about whether you're the right 'type' of person to do something. It's nothing ground-breaking but it's an okay story.
Noranto wrote a poem for his English class that his teacher was really impressed with. She encourages him to write another for a competition. Noranto laughs it off saying he isn't a writer but his teachers prompts him to see how much he enjoyed the process. He agrees but it's not good timing as he is also organising a surprise birthday party for his mum this weekend.
He tries to think up rhymes as he goes about his day. His friends learn what he is up to and while some are supportive others mock him. The book also focuses on family as Noranto must take care of his cousins, while secretly finishing preparations for the party.
The book has a positive message about doing what you like and are good at, rather than worrying about whether you're the right 'type' of person to do something. It's nothing ground-breaking but it's an okay story.
March 13, 2026
When Noranto's teacher asks him to write a poem for a competition, he's worried that his friends will give him a hard time about it. He spends the weekend agonising about it while trying to plan a surprise party for his mum with his chaotic family.
It's quite a challenge to write a novella with the same depth as a full-length novel and Nathanael Lessore has done a good job of creating a scenario with stakes and a central character dilemma that was substantial enough to keep me reading. Of course, this story also has the author's trademark hilarious wordplay (Frankincense's Monster, eggs-is-stenchy crisis). And my favourite bit - his mum's creative solution to Noranto's attitude problem.
Nathanael Lessore is an author I can always recommend to boys (in particular) in Year 6, 7 and 8 and this is another engaging read from the King of Teen.
It's quite a challenge to write a novella with the same depth as a full-length novel and Nathanael Lessore has done a good job of creating a scenario with stakes and a central character dilemma that was substantial enough to keep me reading. Of course, this story also has the author's trademark hilarious wordplay (Frankincense's Monster, eggs-is-stenchy crisis). And my favourite bit - his mum's creative solution to Noranto's attitude problem.
Nathanael Lessore is an author I can always recommend to boys (in particular) in Year 6, 7 and 8 and this is another engaging read from the King of Teen.
March 8, 2026
It’s short, which means there isn’t the time to develop the characters and story. I liked the message about not letting others put you in a box, but I didn’t get the humour you normally find in the author’s books.
March 24, 2026
Throughly enjoyed this one - it’s not easy to create a cast of characters who feel multidimensional and a story I cared about (and that made me smile multiple times) in just a few pages. I loved how clever Noranto is and how hard he worked to make a lovely birthday party for his mum.
February 24, 2026
A really sweet one with a super solid message. Lessore continues to be the coolest guy in kidlit. Demonstrable improvement from book to book too - super heartening
March 6, 2026
it was ok
February 22, 2026
nice story perfect for teens but fine for younger too
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews