“A funny, tender, poignant debut with a believable, sympathetic protagonist.” - The Guardian

“Tender, truthful and touching.” - The Times

“A really lovely book, so tender and truthful.” - Jacqueline Wilson, bestselling author of The Story of Tracy Beaker

“Fox writes with great warmth and humour: his triumph is to turn this story of modern domestic strife into an uplifting read, with plenty of surprises en route.” - Daily Telegraph

“An urgent, nuanced book...[James Fox writes a] deceptively breezy tale of austerity and mental illness with deft compassion; would that real kids in Solo's battered shoe should be so lucky” - Observer

“Addressing complex real-world issues (the cost-of-living crisis, mental health, friendship problems...) with honesty, clarity and compassion.” - Teach Primary

“Expect to have your heart broken and mended in one reading of this must-read novel.” - Belfast Telegraph

“A tender, moving story beautifully capturing life in all its light and shade” - Hannah Gold, author of Waterstones Children's Book Prize Winner The Last Bear

“It is a beautiful, heartfelt gem of a book, I loved it.” - Tom Vaughan, author of Hercules

“This story is full to the brim with heart” - Helen Rutter, author of The Boy Who Made Everyone Laugh

“Heart-wrenching and heart-warming.” - Editor's choice, The School Librarian

“Honest, funny and touching, Solo's story will stay with you long after the last page.” - Lisa Williamson

“A moving...and thought-provoking story” - Cath Howe, author of Ella on the Outside

It's not easy to fit in when you're the boy in the suit...

Ten-year-old Solo - embarrassingly, that isn't short for anything - just wants to be normal.

He wants a name that doesn't stand out. He wishes he had a proper school uniform that fitted him. He dreams about a mum who doesn't get the Big Bad Reds, like his mum Morag.

But most of all he longs to stop crashing funerals for the free food.

But when Solo and Morag crash the funeral of a celebrity and get caught, the press are there to witness their humiliation. The next day it's splashed across the papers. Before Solo knows it, he becomes a viral sensation, and life may never be normal again.

Solo's uphill pursuit of security, community and connection will break your heart and then mend it.

• Page-turning, moving, but ultimately life-affirming, this story is perfect for fans of The Boy at the Back of the Class, The Goldfish Boy, Wonder and Jacqueline Wilson.


• A sensitive, empathetic, timely portrayal of a family struggling during the cost of living crisis.


• This extraordinary debut will make you laugh and cry.