"A warm and funny story of the unlikely friendship that helps one lonely, bullied young boy see himself differently"
Longlisted for the UKLA Book Award 2022 ages 11-14 | May 2021 Book of the Month
Multi-award-winning Brian Conaghan specialises in misfits, characters on the edge looking in, and he has a wonderful ear for authentic dialogue and for giving us male protagonists with emotional depth. He creates characters that rapidly find a place in your heart and who will make you laugh out loud and shed a few tears. This is the first time that he has written for a younger audience and does so without losing any of his trademark authenticity or sharp, wisecracking dialogue. Brian’s older teen fans will also find this an enjoyable read. Lenny blames himself and his size for everything. He believes his Mum and Dad blame him too. His beloved older brother is in a Young Offenders Institute as a result of defending Lenny against some thugs beating him up. His coping strategy is to hide and his favourite bunking off school place is a canal side bench. Tossing his IrnBru can into the canal introduces him to Bruce- another outsider- living in a cardboard home hidden away on the bank. Despite this traumatic start the pair strike up a life-changing friendship. The reader will gradually get to hear their stories as Lenny is able to talk to Bruce, unlike his parents or teachers and inveigles him into helping to avoid a school dilemma and then to accompany him on an epic journey to see his brother. But Bruce is no pushover and Lenny has to face up to some stiff challenges in return and in so doing discovers courage, resilience and talents that he would not have believed he had. We eventually learn Bruce’s heart-breaking story too, but without any saccharine ending we feel there is hope and a future for both. Warm hearted and memorable this should go to the top of your wishlist for school libraries and every child's bookshelf.
Find more books with Positive Images of Disability.
The LoveReading LitFest invited Brian Conaghan to the festival to talk about Cardboard Cowboys, his first book for younger readers.
The digitally native, all year round, online literature and books festival, with new content released every week is a free-for-all-users festival.
What are you waiting for? Check out a preview of the event and sign up to become a member.
| Suitable For: | |
| Other Genres: | |
| Recommendations: |
This warm-hearted book about an unlikely friendship is a must read! It touches on multiple themes, including grief, bullying, injustice, discrimination, missing family, homelessness, kindness, friendship and more!
This warm-hearted book about an unlikely friendship is a must read for anybody ages 10 and above!
This book touches on multiple themes, including grief, bullying, injustice, discrimination, missing family, homelessness, kindness, friendship and more! This book is about 12 year old Lenny who gets bullied at school because of his size, and 52 year old Bruce who lives in a cardboard house and how they bond to form an unlikely friendship in the weirdest circumstances.
Bruce helps Lenny cope with bullying and teaches him to reach out to some of his school peers that perhaps also need a friend. Lenny helps Bruce have a different outlook on life from an angle that Bruce would not ordinarily think to consider. This book also touches on what it is like to miss a family member (Lenny’s brother). I found the storyline very thought provoking.... Read Full Review
Cardboard Cowboys is a great book. It's the story of an unlikely friendship between Lenny and Bruce that changes their lives forever.
Cardboard Cowboys is my kind of book. Although it's based on a boy a few years younger than me the themes of friendship, bullying, family and love are really strong.
Lenny needs a friend and while skipping school to avoid the bullies he finds across Bruce. An unexpected friendship soon follows and they both go on an epic adventure that changes everything.
This book is easy to read, exiting and you just have to read to the end to see how it all turns out.... Read Full Review
Its a funny and adventurous book which is also about having self confidence.
Cardboard Cowboys is a kind and interesting book about a boy called Lenny who constantly is bullied at school. One day Lenny is at his special bench when he meets a person called Bruce at the canal. Lenny has a brother called Frankie who accidentally gets himself in trouble but as you read the book you'll find out there's lots more to this story. Eventually Bruce and Lenny become mates and go on an epic road trip to see Frankie which costs a lot of money which they have to try and find - this is a big part of the story and you'll have to read it to find out if they manage it or not!
Its a funny and adventurous book which is also about having self confidence.... Read Full Review
-131x200.jpg)
