SHORTLISTED FOR THE YOTO CARNEGIE MEDAL FOR WRITING 2025

Four boys grow up together at school, itching to get out of their small town. They play games, scoring points from each other, anything to pass the time until they're free.

Matthew slips into his imagination, Luc pushes his body to the limit, and Johnny... well who knows what Johnny's up to. But when Mark starts running errands for his older brother's mysterious associate, he thinks he's found the best game of all. There's money in his pocket and his friends have started looking at him differently.

Then Mark breaks a rule, and quickly realises that the penalties in this game far outweigh the prizes. Can they all make it to the finish line before someone loses more than just face?