Scrambled

14-year-old Davidde works hard at school and keeps his head down, trying his best to keep out of the way of school bully Lyndon and his pals. It’s just him and his dad at home, after his mum has died, and they are a bit distant with each other.   But an impulse buy of a motorbike changes everything.  Davidde soon learns how to scramble on his new bike and takes on Lyndon, earning the respect of his schoolmates and his dad.  His schoolwork starts to suffer, but at least his relationship with his father gets stronger.   An exciting TV Talent show comes to town, Search for a Scramble Star, and Davidde finds out that his great rival in the final race is none other than a girl! There’s an interesting outcome to the race, and Davidde eventually manages to resolve all the different problems he’s been facing.

There’s a great sense of place in this small-town Welsh setting, and the dialogue is natural, making the Welsh accent sing out as you read it.  The book is warm-hearted and funny, and should appeal to both boys and girls.