One of our Books of the Year 2016 | April 2016 Book of the Month Finlay is articulate, an excellent Scrabble player, which makes it so frustrating that the seven letter word that defines him is stammer. He’s always found it hard to speak, but since his mum suddenly walked out on him and his dad two years ago it’s much worse, making him the target of cruel bullying. The chance to enter a Scrabble tournament changes things: he makes a new friend in Maryam, recently arrived from Pakistan, and a real Scrabble expert. The tournament also offers Finlay new hope of finding his mum. From being about a boy struggling to express himself this grows into a tense story of truths being spelled out. The mystery element is cleverly played out and it’s satisfying too to see Finlay take on those ready to bully their way to power.
An award-winning novel about courage and acceptance with a compelling mystery at its heart.
I need to find my voice - before it's too late.
Finlay's mother vanished two years ago. And ever since then his stutter has become almost unbearable. Bullied at school and ignored by his father, the only way to get out the words which are bouncing around in his head is by writing long letters to his ma which he knows she will never read, and by playing Scrabble online. But when Finlay is befriended by an online Scrabble player called Alex, everything changes. Could it be his mother secretly trying to contact him? Or is there something more sinister going on?
A Seven-Letter Word is an evocative and heartfelt story from the multi-award-winning author of Smart, Kim Slater.
‘Debut novels don’t come much smarter than Smart’ Lancashire Evening Post
‘An amazing, enthralling and enticing debut’ Armadillo magazine
‘A lovely book with an even lovelier character in Kieran . . . Kim Slater is an author to watch’ Wondrous Reads
‘A heart-warming tale that could have readers laughing and crying in equal measure’ bookzone4boys
‘Fans of thoughtful contemporaries will be really impressed by this debut’ The Bookbag
Author
About Kim Slater
Kim Slater honed her storytelling skills as a child, writing macabre tales specially designed to scare her younger brother! Taking her literary inspiration from everyday life, Kim's debut novel, Smart, has won ten regional prizes and been shortlisted for over twenty regional and national awards, including the Waterstones Children's Book Prize and the Federation of Children's Book Groups Prize. Smart was also longlisted for the 2015 Carnegie Medal. Kim lives in Nottingham with her husband and has one grown-up daughter.
