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The List

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Book Synopsis

Can friendships survive as Denny relives the good times and rewrites the bad? A comic and compelling tale from award-winning author Keith Gray.

It’s the end of the summer and Denny is having to move away with his mum now that she’s found a good job, but he’s not planning on leaving quietly. He’s made a list of scores to settle and wrongs to right before he goes. He asks his best friend, Jake, to help.

Jake is absolutely gutted that Denny is leaving and worries what life will be like without him. Of course he’ll do anything to help, no matter how weird or unrealistic the items on Denny’s list might be. But the list is more powerful than either of them realise – it can make and break friendships.

Our Review Panel says...

The List is the story of Jake whose best friend, Denny, is about to move away. But Denny is not just Jake’s best friend, he is his only real friend – it’s always just been the two of them, and Jake can’t imagine what his life will be like without him. It’s the end of an era, and Jake isn’t ready.

Denny doesn’t want to leave, but his mum has got a new job, and he doesn’t have a choice. In the days before Denny is due to leave, he comes up with a list of things he wants to do before he goes. It is a list of things that have gone wrong that he wants to put right, but none of them are going to be easy to achieve. In fact, Jake thinks they’re impossible, but Denny is his best friend, so he agrees to help.

What follows is adventure and mischief and a story of friendships tested and new relationships formed.

This is a short, pacey read for young teens. Although an easy read, it is a realistic portrayal of teenage life and tackles the complexity of being a teenager and the range of emotions that are felt. This book will encourage readers to think about the true value of friendship and the impression people leave on our lives, even at a young age