About the Book:

Elias’s brain is a swamp of fears and bad things. His once-loving brother Bo has become a stranger, and his parents are at breaking point.

When Bo falls in with dangerous people, Elias decides he’s
the only one who can bring his family back together. But what begins as a simple pizza-night plan quickly spirals into chaos.

Can Elias find a way to reach the people he loves the most
before it’s too late?

Find on Goodreads. Find on Bookshop.org UK (affiliate link).

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About the Author:

Originally from Nova Scotia, Canada, Lucas Maxwell grew up on Nintendo, comic books and Dungeons and Dragons. He has been working in libraries for over fifteen years and is passionate about providing safe and welcoming library spaces for everyone. In 2017 he was named the UK’s School Librarian of the Year and in 2024 he was awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) for his services to libraries. He is proud to be a neurodivergent writer and grateful to be adding his voice to the world of literature. He currently resides in the UK with his amazing family and Biscuit the chocolate lab.

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Interview:

Pitch your book in 10 words!

It’s a book about determination, grit, love and hope. 

The book is set in the ‘90s. What drew you to set this in the past, and in such a cold, long winter?

I grew up in Nova Scotia, Canada in the 80s and 90s and I wanted it to reflect my experiences as a young teen. Winters there are brutal and can be fun but also dangerous. I wanted the winter to become a character of its own in order for the reader to really feel it. 

Elias is autistic and faces ableist prejudice and bullying. Why do you think it’s important that we read about autistic characters both in modern settings and historical ones?

Like Elias, I am also autistic and I wanted the novel to be as close to my real experiences as possible. As a secondary school librarian my job is to try and put books into the hands of students where their experiences are reflected, it’s important that they see themselves as the main character in stories and their own, because they will face more hardships growing up than most. 

Bowman’s addiction is not explicitly named on page as we see the events through Elias’ sheltered perspective. Why did you choose to keep it off page in this way?

I feel a lot of books aimed at teens hit them over the head with plot points if I’m being brutally honest, here. For me, my favourite books have untold events and hints at things that leave it up to the readers’ imagination. Also, teen readers are clever and will be able to pick up on it really easily in my opinion. 

Elias’ talent for the school contest is joke telling – and he practices on others throughout. It adds a lightness to the tale. Why did you pick this talent for him?

I’ve wanted to be a standup comedian my entire life. I ended up doing some standup in Canada and the UK and have loved every minute of it. As a kid, I was obsessed with comedy and would do standup routines to anyone who would listen, so it felt like a natural talent to choose for Elias. 

Are there any jokes you cut from the book? If not, do you have one you can tell us?

One that comes to mind is one my dad would always say and it might not work on paper but out loud I always found it funny, it simply goes: “I can row a boat, canoe?”

Elias and his family don’t have to face the reality of Bo’s addiction alone. They’re supported by Bo’s best friend and his family and an elderly neighbour. How did you decide who in the community would support them? Did any of the characters surprise you?

I grew up in a small, rural community of around three hundred people. There were a lot of problems in that community but there was also a sense of sticking together. I wanted a young person in Bo’s life to step up because I think it’s easy or lazy to write all teens or young adults as selfish or harsh, especially males, and I wanted to have a good, young, male role model because we need more of them. Crawford really surprised me because he is based on a real person that I knew growing up but initially he was only supposed to be in one scene where he tells Elias’ father about people looking to hurt Bo. I decided to expand him because I thought Elias would really connect with him, as Elias doesn’t really connect with the kids his age and as loathe as I am to use the term, he really is an “old soul.”

Please recommend a UKYA book you think readers will love.

SOLO* by Gráinne O’Brien is a brilliant YA verse novel that I recommend because readers will fall in love with the main character, Daisy, as she navigates breakups, family illness and school drama.

Thank you!

*Affiliate link