As a child, I loved the “Choose Your Own Adventure” books but they were always some sort of far fetched, monster adventure story rather than scenarios I might face in real life. The Boy with Big Decisions follows the same idea but provides readers with a realistic, risk-filled story. Written in a “You Choose the Next Move” format, readers decide what characters will do with big consequences!
Fred Timple lives a life with little independence and little confidence. His parents make all of his decisions for him and, up until now, he has just accepted it. When they move house (only telling him at the last minute), leave no room for the things he loves in his new bedroom and choose a completely unsuitable school, Fred doesn’t know if he can take it anymore.
Fred loves to draw. He realises he has some talent but his parents don’t value it at all. The first school they visit is incredibly posh and intense. His dad attended The Gains School himself and wants nothing but what he considers to be the very best for Fred – aspirational academics, winning sports teams and a smart uniform. The second option is the much smaller, slightly tired Browtree High. Fred loves the focus on the arts and opportunities to be himself. Unable to speak up, his parents make the decision and he’s registered at The Gains School. On the first day, Fred is unhappily waiting at the bus stop when he spots something under a bush. It’s a Browtree High jumper. As both school buses pull up to the stop, Fred has a split second decision to make: should he carry on to The Gains School as expected or put on the Browtree jumper and go to the school that felt right to him?
In this moment, readers are given a choice – turn to page 23 for the Gains bus or page 41 for the Browtree bus. So begins a series of high-stakes decisions that take readers around the book. When they reach the end of one scenario, there’s an opportunity to go back to this first decision and try something different. Along with Fred, readers will come to some important realisations: they are in charge of their own destiny and that with decision making comes responsibility. There are moral dilemmas to consider, relationships to balance and consequences to face. Most importantly, they will come to see how important it is to be true to yourself and follow your heart.
The Boy with Big Decisions is a fantastic book for Year 6 to Year 7 transition. It would be an incredibly engaging Year 7 form read aloud with the class voting on what to do next and discussing the outcomes of the decisions. Because readers jump across the text for different outcomes, each scenario is a very manageable length leaving readers with a sense of accomplishment.
A huge thank you to Scholastic for this completely engaging book!
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