The Bones of Me

The go-to mystery thriller to cozy up with this season, for fans of YA gems like Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo and The Crossover by Kwame Alexander. Told in dynamic verse and prose!

"The combination of verse and prose keeps the pace moving, and colloquialisms add to the sense of place. A textured coming-of-age story deeply rooted in a working-class community."
—Kirkus Reviews

“Dynamic verse and sincere prose...Prominent messages about classism and forgiveness add layers to this insightful rendering of the amateur boxing world.” —Publishers Weekly


"An uncompromising and unflinching novel that certainly packs a punch." — Brian Conaghan, author of The Boy Who Made it Rain

"Gutsy, gripping and dangerous yet full of heart, truth and soul. Duckhouse''s exceptional debut floats like a butterfly, stings like a poet." -— Keith Gray, author of Ostrich Boys and The Climbers

The Bones of Me is a thrilling debut YA novel about friends and family amid the world of amateur boxing. Living on an East London council estate has its worries - and life for 15 year old Molly hasn''t always been easy. But she has a dream, a dream to be a boxer just like her older brother Denny. When he agrees to train her, she couldn''t be more excited. But one night everything changes. There''s an assault outside Molly''s local boxing club, Denny''s nowhere to be found and the police are after him. Molly must prove her brother''s innocence and delve into the underbelly of East London, and her family history where new and old secrets are revealed...

The winning sports gift this season: a boxing book that packs a punch, ideal for the athlete of the family!