Big Words

Luke Palmer is an award-winning author, poet and secondary-school teacher. He has written three acclaimed books for young adults, with his debut, Grow, being shortlisted for the Branford Boase Award, while Play was shortlisted for the prestigious Carnegie Medal for Writing.

"A very important book for teenage boys to read. Puts teen bravado under a microscope and gently peels off layers of toxic masculinity. Huge impact in a short amount of words." — Nathanael Lessore"Palmer understands the vulnerabilities and insecurities of young men without ever getting preachy or sentimental about it; this is another excellent addition to his body of work." — The Irish Times"This is a gritty yet deeply sensitive portrayal of male teenage friendships, and the pressures that come with it. With its accessible style and authentic, well-developed characters, Big Words packs a lot into is 120 pages." — The Scotsman"Luke Palmer has a reputation for the way he skilfully and sensitively voices the concerns and inner lives of young men of today … In signature Barrington Stoke style, this is short and direct, with not a word wasted but it gives readers so much to think about and will spark countless conversations, and maybe more besides." — LoveReading4Kids"Luke’s books are so important for teen readers and Big Words is another powerful, essential read. Luke’s writing is always so authentic and I’ve said before that I wish I had his books when I was a teen as he beautifully captures the complexities of male teen friendships … Gritty yet sensitive, Big Words shows the true power of how we can feel big about ourselves, it’s a must-have from Luke!" — Check 'Em Out Books, blog"Big Words by Luke Palmer is one of the most powerful books you’ll read this year. Exploring masculinity for teen boys and what it means to be strong, it unpicks layers of friendship, forgiveness and trust … Authentic and honest, overflowing with real personality, Big Words is essential reading for teens." — Scope for Imagination, blog"A memorable, gut-punching story in very few pages and in a very accessible way … One thing that Luke Palmer consistently delivers in his body of work are realistic voices and well-fleshed out, memorable characters." – NetGalley review