One of our Books of the Year 2016 | In a nutshell: sad | funny| touching | Susin Nielsen has won many fans for her poignant, character-driven stories of young people in difficult situations. Ambrose, the eponymous word nerd, is just such a central character: he’s isolated and lonely – shocked by the sudden death of his father his mother is anxious and over-protective – socially awkward too.
His life changes when he strikes up a kind of friendship a neighbour, without telling his mum because Cosmo is a former drug addict with a prison record. This in turn leads to more friends as the two join a local Scrabble club, and a happy outcome for each. Readers will totally believe in this friendship, and root for Ambrose and Cosmo.
A feel-good story filled with memorable characters, and one that sneaks all sorts of truths about life past its readers too.
Readers who enjoy Word Nerd will also like A Seven Letter Word by Kim Slater, which also uses Scrabble as a hook for a moving story about struggling young people, while Stacey Matson writes satisfying, heart-warming stories about kids overcoming problems. ~ Andrea Reece
Ambrose Bukowski is a twelve-year-old with a talent for mismatching his clothes, for saying the wrong thing at the worst possible time, and for words. In short, he's a self-described nerd. Making friends is especially hard because he and his overprotective mother, Irene, have had to move so often.
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the best books for 9-12 year olds · the best books for teenagers
Ambrose Bukowski is a twelve-year-old with a talent for mismatching his clothes, for saying the wrong thing at the worst possible time, and for words. In short, he's a self-described nerd.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Word Nerd and determined it is suitable for children aged 11-14 years old
Word Nerd features in the following genres: Featured Books for 11+ readers, Recommendations, Stories about Family and Friends, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, School Stories, PSHE: Bullying and Discrimination, Personal Social Health Economic (PSHE), Funny, Recommended Children's eBooks, Featured Books for 13+ readers
Paperback. £7.19, down from the £7.99 cover price. Not Available.
Word Nerd was written by Susin Nielsen and published by Andersen Press Ltd
Word Nerd has 239 pages
£7.19, reduced from £7.99. Not Available.
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