The Way We Roll (Scot Gardner, A&U)

4 February 2016 Unlocked content from the archive. Books+Publishing

Will has a new job collecting trolleys at a dingy suburban shopping centre. His work partner, rough, tattooed Westie Julian, realises something is up: Will says he lives in a big house in a posh suburb and went to an expensive private school but left because he’d just ‘had enough’. When Julian discovers Will is actually living at the local bowling alley, he invites Will to live with him. With the support and acceptance of Julian and his quirky family, Will starts to come out of his shell, but will he be able to confront whatever it is that drove him to leave home? This is a story about friendship, family, secrets and lies. Will and Julian’s friendship rings true as a rough-and-tumble adolescent male relationship, funny and aggressive in equal measure. Will’s narrative voice is strong and distinctive, his vocabulary and tone contrasting effectively with those of his new friends and neighbours. This book is recommended for older readers with content warnings for violence, sex and language.

Heath Graham is a teacher and former bookseller

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