WINNER OF THE BRANFORD BOASE AWARD 2024
SHORTLISTED FOR THE YOTO CARNEGIE MEDAL 2024
SHORTLISTED FOR THE UKLA BOOK AWARD 2024
SHORTLISTED FOR THE JHALAK PRIZE 2024
MEET MC GROWLS, WANNABE RAPPER AND STAR OF THE SHOW IN THIS HILARIOUS AND HEARTWARMING TEEN DEBUT.
Shaun (aka MC Growls) is ready to drop his best bars and smash the competition at Raptology. That way, he's convinced Tanisha, his crush, will finally give him a chance.
But when a livestream practice goes epically wrong, Growls's dirty laundry is literally exposed. He's finally achieved his dreams of going viral - not in the good way.
Now Tanisha won't look at him, he's the joke of the school and there's no way he can show his face at the competition. Will he ever catch a break?
Then a new girl on the block appears who might be just the friend Growls needs. Especially when she points out that Raptology could be the answer to his problems after all. . .
STEP UP TO THE MIC! It's MC Growls and he's ready for this. He's steady for this. It's comeback season and they call him comeback king for a reason.
A hilarious debut from breakout star Nathanael Lessore, perfect for teen readers of Alex Wheatle and Jason Reynolds. Nathanael Lessore is a multi-award-winning and Sunday Times bestselling author. He was born in Camberwell, London, as one of eight children to French and Madagascan parents. Although he has spent most of his life in Peckham, Nathanael has also lived in Paris, Strasbourg and Singapore. His debut book Steady For This was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal for Writing 2024 and won the Branford Boase Award 2024. His second book King of Nothing won the Waterstones Children's Book Prize for Older Readers 2025, the Carnegie Shadowers' Choice Medal for Writing 2025 and the Jhalak Children's & Young Adult Prize 2025. He is also the author of What Happens Online, which was shortlisted for the Books Are My Bag Awards 2025, the bestselling Against All Odds, a World Book Day 2026 selection and Like A Brother. He writes stories that show his South East London childhood as the funny, warm, adventurous world that wasn't always represented as such. Meet MC Growls, wannabe rapper and star of the show in the laugh-out-loud teen novel of the year! An unforgettable debut from a writer of colour, inspired by his experience of the joys and challenges of growing up working class in South-East London A celebration of finding your voice, creativity and rap culture - Growls develops his style and figures out how to tell his story, his way Authentically captures the awkwardness of the teenage years with humour and heart. Perfect for readers aged 11 and up A laugh-out-loud first-person narrative - Growls is one of a kind with a distinctive voice Full of positive representation, the book handles real-world issues for contemporary teens with lightness of touch. Themes include: race, class, disability and mental health
