“It is a beautiful, heartfelt gem of a book, I loved it.” - Tom Vaughan, author of Hercules

“This story is full to the brim with heart” - Helen Rutter, author of The Boy Who Made Everyone Laugh

“A wonderful story...it moved me to tears” - Jen Carney, author of The Accidental Diary of B.U.G

“A moving...and thought-provoking story” - Cath Howe, author of Ella on the Outside

“I loved it” - Berlie Doherty, author of Street Child

It's not easy to fit in when you're the boy in the suit...

Ten-year-old Solo - embarrassingly, that isn't short for anything - just wants to be normal.

He wants a name that doesn't stand out. He wishes he had a proper school uniform that fitted him. He dreams about a mum who doesn't get the Big Bad Reds, like his mum Morag.

But most of all he longs to stop crashing funerals for the free food.

But when Solo and Morag crash the funeral of a celebrity and get caught, the press are there to witness their humiliation. The next day it's splashed across the papers. Before Solo knows it, he becomes a viral sensation, and life may never be normal again.

Solo's uphill pursuit of security, community and connection will break your heart and then mend it.

• Page-turning, moving, but ultimately life-affirming, this story is perfect for fans of The Boy at the Back of the Class, The Goldfish Boy, Wonder and Jacqueline Wilson.


• A sensitive, empathetic, timely portrayal of a family struggling during the cost of living crisis.


• This extraordinary debut will make you laugh and cry.