Bookzilla Book of the Month: Glasgow Boys by Margaret McDonald

We have five copies of Glasgow Boys by Margaret McDonald to be won, thanks to our friends at Faber! All you need to do is answer the question at the bottom of the page. Entries close at 11.59pm on Saturday 31st August.

All entrants must reside in the UK and full terms and conditions apply. You can check out our competitions page for other giveaways. To find more great reads for children and young adults, download the Bookzilla book finder app.

About Glasgow Boys

Glasgow Boys by Margaret McDonald is a tender powerhouse of a debut that grabs you from the opening lines and doesn’t let up until you close that final page. A good book is one that makes us laugh or cry, and a great one manages both – this is a great one, often within the space of a few lines.

Written in dual perspective between two main characters, the reserved Finlay and the troubled Banjo, the reader is taken on a journey exploring how their shared past in the foster care system brought them together and continues to define their – now separate – futures. We meet the boys at a key coming-of-age moment in their lives – for Finlay, starting his studies at the University of Glasgow; for Banjo, finishing high school and his final years in foster care. With both care-experienced young men navigating masculinity, sexuality and growing up in working-class Scotland, Glasgow Boys follows in the tradition of classics such as Trainspotting and pulls these themes expertly into focus for the young adult, contemporary lens.

Powerfully told and informed by sensitive research, Glasgow Boys is an unforgettable Scottish read that will leave you reflecting on the experiences of young men in our country and feeling hopeful about their future – and perhaps booking a visit to Glasgow yourself, if you haven’t already.