The First Year

“This is so beautiful. Even better than The Final Year if that is possible. Cried buckets towards the end. Everyone needs to read this. The sibling’s relationship is perfection.”

“The seeming simplicity of the text belies the complexity of emotion and experience which the story explores. The power and poignancy in places is breathtaking, making Nate’s continued story every bit as engaging as it was in The Final Year.”

“As with the previous novel, the verse format makes for an accessible read, enhanced by Joe Todd-Stanton’s engaging illustrations… The realistic language and inner-city setting add to the text’s authenticity…The First Year is a powerful and engaging novel, particularly relevant for Year 6 pupils facing their own imminent move to secondary school, as well as those who may be struggling to fit in once they reach Year 7.”

“Matt Goodfellow gets more wonder, fear and love into starting a new school than most writers get out of the whole multiverse.”

“I loved it as much as the The Final Year. It pushes all the right buttons for me - honest, warm, compassionate and a celebration of family and friendship.”

“This sequel to The Final Year continues in heartfelt free verse, exploring themes of hope and growth. Illustrated by Joe Todd-Stanton, The First Year is powerful, real and uplifting. Highly recommended.”

“Ideal for readers of 10 or 11+, this enthralling, beautifully crafted verse novel, Goodfellow’s sequel to the award-winning The Final Year, can also be read as a standalone.”

“This is a verse novel where the story unfolds through poetry. Some of the shortest and more sparse poems are the ones that evoke the greatest depth of emotion, with the white space on the page providing the reader with a moment to reflect and process – but only a moment, as this is really is a page-turner that makes you greedy to read on. This book is longer than the first, and Goodfellow’s shrewdly chosen words powerfully convey a wide-ranging complexity of feelings while also moving forward plot and character development at an enjoyable pace.

This verse novel is an absolute triumph and is certain to receive the same well-deserved reception as The Final Year.”

“I was the most enormous fan of The Final Year, as I have been of Matt Goodfellow’s published poetry collections, so I approached The First Year with just a little trepidation – could Matt work the same magic again? I’m glad to say that he more than delivers. There is so much think and talk about: freedom and constraint; where we find ourselves; what forms us and what defines us.”

“This is a fantastic, fabulous, wonderful book… Written in free verse, it’s powerful, emotional, gripping and uplifting. It’s full of hope and courage while also being real, dark, sad and challenging…

With illustrations once again from Joe Todd-Stanton, this is another hit. Breathtakingly brilliant.”

“The verse has the same raw energy and warmth that made The Final Year a hit. It’s honest, but never miserable; an easy read about complex things…An especially good one to read out loud with anyone about to make that first flight to secondary school.”

“Matt Goodfellow’s excellent new book, The First Year, follows one schoolboy’s struggles starting secondary school with touching acuity… Goodfellow is brilliant at capturing the voice of his young speaker who, as with all the best schoolboy narrators, combines innocence with a beady eye for observation…

A coming-of-age novel which combines kitchen sink realism with a feel-good factor reminiscent of Paddington Bear.”

“Goodfellow greets each of his characters with extreme compassion- even children who bully, even parents who walk away. And, always, he offers us something still far too scarce for children’s fiction: a solid, multilayered portrayal of (Northern) working class everydayness which eschews sentimentality and welcomes its beating heart.”

“Told in verse, this is the story of Nate as he starts secondary school full of nerves and navigates fear, friendship and growing pains. Honest, lyrical and funny, this is a relatable take on one of life’s biggest transitions.”

“This is a big-hearted book with moments of lyricism and a little bit of grit. It’s honest and relatable but never miserable. A particularly good read for primary school-leavers who are about to take their first flight to secondary school.”

“Another fantastic novel, showcasing real experience for young children who will be reassured to know they are not alone.”

“Not only a portrait of what secondary school might be like, this accessible story, leavened by well-observed banter, is also about the bigger questions of growing up: who do I want to be, how do I relate to friends and family, and what might freedom mean.”

‘This year has seen a surge in children’s novels in verse, and one of the gems was Matt Goodfellow’s first-person narrative about a working-class boy starting secondary school. Using blank verse, it brilliantly captures the voice of its young speaker, who’s both innocent and beadily observant. “I’ll sum the rest of the first week up / Rushin. / Rules. / Gettin lost. / Tryin not to die in corridor crushes.”

Matt Goodfellow

Now a multi award winning full-time poet, Matt Goodfellow’s debut novel, told in verse, The Final Year, illustrated by Joe Todd-Stanton, for middle-grade readers, won The CLiPPA Award for Children’s Poetry 2024 and the Children’s Book Award for Older Readers 2024 (Federation of Children’s Book Groups) amongst many others. He is also the author of Caterpillar Cake, illustrated by Krina Patel-Sage and shortlisted for the CLiPPA award in 2022, Shu-Lin’s Grandpa, illustrated by Yu Rong and shortlisted for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2022 and a contributor to CLiPPA-shortlisted poetry collection Being Me: Poems about Thoughts, Worries and Feelings, all published by Otter-Barry Books.

Joe Todd-Stanton

Joe Todd-Stanton grew up in Brighton and has a first class degree in Illustration from UWE, Bristol. He is a widely acclaimed author and illustrator of picture books and graphic novels including The Secret of Black Rock and The Comet. He illustrated the award-winning The Final Year, by Matt Goodfellow. His latest book is Luna and the Treasure of Tlaloc, published in 2024. He lives in London.

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