Game Over!

Jay’s teacher, Mr Chan, tells the class about a game-design exhibition that the school would like to take part in. Jay is excited by this, but his friends think computing is for nerds, and are more interested in playing football. Mr Chan says Jay has talent, and encourages him to join the Computing Club, but it meets after school on three afternoons at the same time as football practice, so Jay has a decision to make. He’s not actually much good at football, but his friend Noah’s Dad is setting up a team, and Noah expects them both to be included as they practice for a match, but it turns out that it is scheduled for the same day as the computer exhibition. Mr Chan, Jay’s Mum and his sister Arya all say that he should do what he wants to do without worrying about his friends will think, but his friends are so scornful about computer geeks, that he tries to please them, and ends up being deceitful. Of course, eventually Noah catches him enjoying Computing Club, and they have a heart-to-heart, deciding that they can still be best friends, even if they do different things.

Louise Forshaw’s illustrations show cartoon versions of a very multi-cultural school, and this story is not only enjoyable to read, but could be useful for any child who decides to be different from friends.