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James Fox Books

A funny, relatable, moving story about online fame vs reality.

Meet Ethan Lacey, online vlogging sensation alongside his mum, dad and big brother Mason.

They film and upload everyday life for their million subscribers to enjoy – the pranks, the cosy family time, the perks like going to the opening of an epic new theme park.

They are the perfect family… aren’t they?

But reality is not all fun and freebies.

Mum and Dad have been arguing a lot recently and Mason has been picking on Ethan.

When the cracks start to show, can Ethan persuade his family to fix the real world, not fixate on the online one?

The second book by multi-award-shortlisted (including the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize) author James Fox.

Told with James’ trademark blend of observational humour and glorious heart, with an utterly relatable and loveable main character and a smart, nuanced take on Instagram/YouTube vs Reality.

The message is about being present and enjoying the everyday moments of life in an authentic, happy way.

The Boy in the Suit is a powerful story that explores the experience of living with depression, young carers and child poverty.  It is the story of 10-year-old Solo, who wants nothing more than to fit in. But being the son of an unconventional single parent, Morag, who is having a difficult time, means that he is destined to stand out for the wrong reasons!

Things finally come to a head when the two of them are caught on camera crashing a funeral for the free food, and Solo’s humiliation is an overnight viral sensation. ‘As the story unfolds, we feel Solo’s pain as he battles between the unconditional love that he feels for his mum and the growing embarrassment that he feels because of the way she acts and the resulting guilt – a lot of big feelings.

The Boy in the Suit is a thought-provoking, emotional rollercoaster of a read, and a thoroughly rewarding one at that.

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