"A powerful verse novel about manhood and two boys’ journey towards it."
June 2025 Book of the Month | Winner of Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing 2024
Using the much-interpreted legend of Theseus and the Minotaur – a journey full of dangers and threat, as well as a search for a father as a basis Coelho then weaves around it the story of Theo – also on a journey to find his father.
Each is off on a maze-like quest to find their roots, their inheritance with each facing dangers and problems along the way. Not only is this an intricate mix of two stories with echoes of each other, but in places is given over to the reader to control the story arc by choosing which way Theseus would respond, much in the way as the ‘pick your adventure’ stories do.
It is heartening to see some of the choices to Theseus age old problems - and note the better responses chosen. Both of our main characters face choices, dilemmas, doubts, difficulties, and danger on their journeys but each responds in the most effective way for themselves! There are countless different poetic forms exhibited here – a sestina is even explained in one of the poems as if it were a lesson in Theo’s school.
Our former Children’s Laureate has created another powerful, enthralling story in verse form. Kate Milner has supported these with beautiful black and white illustrations ranging from pieces that look as if they may be ancient Greek illustrations to wonderfully detailed modern depictions. Once you pick it up you won’t want to put it down!
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In his new verse novel, Joseph Coelho brilliantly blends Greek myth with a 21st century quest.
In Ancient Greece Theseus makes a dangerous and courageous journey to find his father, finally meeting the Minotaur in the Labyrinth. While Theo, a modern-day teenage boy, finds himself on a maze-like quest to find his own father. Each story tells of a boy becoming a man and discovering what true manhood really means.
The path to self-discovery takes Theo through 'those thin spaces where myth, magic and reality combine'. Doubts, difficulties and dangers must be faced as Theo discovers the man he will become.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed The Boy Lost in the Maze and determined it is suitable for children aged 13-18 years old
The Boy Lost in the Maze features in the following genres: Featured Books for 13+ readers, Featured Books for Young Adults, Books of the Month, Recommendations, Star Books, Stories in Verse, Mystery / Mythology, Gritty Reads, Children’s / Teenage: General interest, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Children's and Young Adult Fiction
The Boy Lost in the Maze is available in Paperback, Ebook (Epub), Hardback
The Boy Lost in the Maze was written by Joseph Coelho and published by Otter-Barry Books an imprint of Otter-Barry Books Limited
The Boy Lost in the Maze has 319 pages
£8.99
