The Beck by Anthony McGowen

The Beck is a beautiful story of finding peace and purpose in the noise of the world.

Kyle hasn’t spent much time with his grandad so when his parents drop him off in a run-down neighbourhood on the east side of Leeds, he isn’t happy. Grandad’s eccentricities and his three-legged dog called “Rude Word” make for an unusual afternoon. But then, Grandad takes Kyle down to the bottom of his garden to the beck. He discovers a new world of nature, quiet and light – a place of peace. Once full of rubbish and pollution, the beck has been cleaned up. Now creatures like bullheads, sticklebacks and the endangered white-clawed crayfish can thrive. Grandad, Kyle, and their new friend Karthi embrace the rejuvenating power of this stream in the middle of a buzzing city.

While walking the beck, they discover plans for a new development – someone wants to build warehouses and parking. This will destroy the peace and threaten the wildlife who live there. Grandad comes up with a plan to stop them but can an elderly man, two young teens and a three-legged dog actually make a difference?

Alongside their determination to be “eco-warriors”, Kyle also faces issues of bullying, new friendship and family medical concerns. He knows his parents are keeping something from him and the worry in his mum’s face seems to get worse every day. Time spent with Grandad at the beck brings healing Kyle wasn’t aware he needed. When all this is threatened, he knows he needs to step up and make a difference.

The Beck is an empowering story for young people and perfect for secondary school libraries. Written in Barrington Stoke’s trademark style, it is both accessible and engaging. Dyslexia-friendly font, spacing and page tint means everyone can enjoy it while the manageable length and carefully chosen vocabulary encourages success.

Thank you to Barrington Stoke for a copy of this fantastic book!

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