Cardboard Cowboys

by Brian Conaghan

Multi-award-winning author Brian Conaghan’s first book for 10+ readers is a future classic brimming with humour and heart Even though I found him living in a house made of cardboard, Bruce is a massive legend. FACT. So this mine and Bruce’s story. You don’t have to believe it happened, but it did. All of it. Nobody at school can see past Lenny’s size to the person within. So when lessons get too tough, Lenny always goes to his bench to think. At least there no one can see him. Then one day, midway through lobbing his empty can of Irn-Bru into the canal he’s stopped by Bruce. Bruce lives in a cardboard home hidden away by the banks, and he doesn’t approve of kids messing up his front lawn … But a bumpy start soon gives way to an unexpected friendship - and an epic road trip - that will change both of them for life …

Genres: Middle Grade, Childrens, Family, Coming Of Age

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2021

About the author

Brian Conaghan lives and works in the Scottish town of Coatbridge. He has a Master of Letters in Creative Writing from the University of Glasgow, and worked as a teacher for many years. His novel When Mr Dog Bites was shortlisted for the 2015 CILIP Carnegie Medal. The Bombs That Brought Us Together won the 2016 Costa Children’s Book Award, The Weight of a Thousand Feathers won the 2018 Irish Book Award for Teen/YA Book of the Year, and We Come Apart, a verse novel co-authored with Carnegie Medal-winner Sarah Crossan, won the 2018 UKLA Book Award. Cardboard Cowboys, Brian’s first middle-grade novel, published in 2021 and is full of his trademark heart, humour and crackling dialogue. Swimming on the Moon is his second middle-grade novel. @ConaghanAuthor

@BrianConaghan

Reviews

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cardboard Cowboys is a novel for younger readers by British former teacher and author, Brian Conaghan. Twelve-year-old Lenny Lambert spends quite a few of his school hours on a bench by the canal. It’s not that he hates school. He enjoys the lessons, and the teachers are (mostly) encouraging and understanding; it’s the other kids that get to him. Lenny is overweight, and most of his classmates are cruel. The exception is Trisha Woods, who’s smart and kind.

Things aren’t that great at home, either. His Mum and Dad miss his older brother, Our Frankie, who’s a long way away. They worry about him, they care about him, and Lenny’s pretty sure they blame him for Frankie’s leaving; he’s pretty sure they hate him, and that Frankie does too. But it’s so long since he’s spoken to the brother he sorely misses, he is only guessing, and his parents have told him that calling or writing or visiting is out of the question. His mother’s muttered “Haven’t you done enough?” fills him with guilt.

So Lenny spends time on that bench, eating, drinking, composing haiku and singing to himself. But he’s thrown his Irn-Bru can down the bank, and is upbraided for littering by a guy with a scraggly beard in a red bobble hat and clunky boots. The guy lives down there! Lenny is curious, so he returns to check out the cardboard dwelling. Bruce, it turns out, is easy to talk to, and seems to understand Lenny’s problems immediately.

At the next school assembly, the head teacher announces a crackdown on truancy and a charity talent show. Neither of these is good news for Lenny. Despite what Trisha Woods suggests, there’s no way he could sing in front of people. But it’s the truancy letter to his parents that’s Lenny’s real concern. Then he has a brilliant idea…

What a wonderful tale! Conaghan easily puts the reader inside Lenny’s head and arouses empathy with this earnest young man. Lenny’s inner monologue is thoughtful and stirring, and the dialogue throughout the novel is clever and often funny. The road trip is delightful, and the preparation requiring Lenny’s courage sends a worthwhile message.

As well as exploring bullying and victim-blaming, the story touches on homelessness and the vital importance of communication. Conaghan gives his characters wise words and insightful observations: “…a person’s difference doesn’t give anyone else a free rein to abuse them… being different is what makes the world exciting. Difference brings joy to our lives.” Moving, thought-provoking and full of humour.

[Bee Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lenny is, in his own words, fat, jelly, blubber. The kids at his school never let him forget it, either, with snide remarks and 'funny' jokes all day. The teachers don't do much to rein it in, so sometimes Lenny cuts out and sits on his favourite bench by the river. That's where he's sitting the day he meets Bruce. And that's the day things start to change.

Brian's books usually smack me in the face, in the best way. This one wasn't as sharp; it was slower, more gradual, a figuring things out rather than having them spelt out to me. That's not a complaint; I like both ways, and it was nice not to go through quite as many tissues crying this time. (Still a few, though.)

Below you'll find my favourite quote from the book. This one really hit me;

"Ever since I caught you littering that day, you have brought nothing but joy to me."

"You mean that, Bruce? You really mean it?"

"Of course I mean it. If only you knew how much."

This is a wonderful story about a family who mean well but can't communicate it, a boy who's terrified of the one thing he wants most but brave enough to go after it anyway, and a man who, for no reason but kindness, helps him. I loved reading it. I'd love to see it in classrooms; I think it would do really well as a school novel, as well as for pleasure reading. (No reason they can't overlap, of course!)

Fantastic. I'm so glad I got to read it.

[scottiesandbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

“”So it doesn’t matter if there’s people around us or not. Being sad and lonely comes from in here.” With a boxers fist Bruce thumps his heart twice; so hard, I hear the hollowness of his chest. “In here and nowhere else.””

Cardboard Cowboys tells the story of Lenny, a kid who is often picked on due to his size and never fits in. A kid who isn’t noticed at home and noticed for all the wrong reasons at school. A kid with so so much talent that he cannot recognise in himself because of how society has made him feel.

Cardboard Cowboys also tells the story of Bruce. From the get go you know Bruce is an absolute legend. FACT! At first Lenny doesn’t know what to make of the homeless man chasing him away from his plunky bench, but as time goes on they help each other in ways that you would not expect.

For a middle grade book CC packs such a punch! It has so many valuable lessons on bullying and being bullied for those children looking to move up schools. It also has lessons about loving yourself, body image, family life and things that only some kids will ever experience.

I will say at points Bruce had me on edge wondering what his intentions actually were with Lenny. I was scared that Brian was going to be promoting befriending some dodgy adults to kids. But it all works itself out in the end!

As a 31 year old woman it still taught me some valuable lessons. It doesn’t read like a children’s novel which must be so refreshing for any young kid to read! It deals with things that they will face so openly and honestly and at the same time will have everyone in the room howling with laughter from the get go!

This book is legendary! FACT!

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the wholesome shh teary read! A unique friendship. A family trying to live a normal life trying to ignore what they are struggling with. Love this book so much!

Discover beautiful souls in this story. TW for bullying. I mean some serious bullying and body shaming.

[Nienke Willemsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Ik mocht alvast de Nederlandse vertaling vooruit lezen die in april zal verschijnen. Wat een fijn en mooi boek over een bijzondere vriendschap, over gepest worden om je gewicht en omvang, over onzekerheid, familie en de donkere kanten van het leven. Hoewel geen Amerikaans boek heeft het op sommige momenten wel een ietwat Amerikaans moralistische toon maar het is vooral onroerend en hoopvol. Bovendien geschreven met veel humor ondanks de loeizware thema’s.

‘Zie je nou wel?’
‘Wat?’
‘Dat er ook aardige mensen zijn.’

[Ophelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

What the (middle grade) world needs right now? This book.

This was absolutely brilliant. As a bookseller I can tell you that children read a great deal in Primary school but we start to lose them to homework, technology and a lack of books that are excellently written with a strong story. This is a book to bring readers back.
I was a little worried at the beginning as there is quite a lot of colloquialism and as I meet a lot of children with English as their 2nd/3rd language then this can be off-putting but the story had enough pull and mystery that I carried on reading and oh my goodness I am so thrilled I did.
You can read about the book in the blurb, I just want to use up all this space to try to encourage people to pick it up and read it themselves or buy it for all the children aged 9-15 that they know!

[werka✨☕•ig: werix.02 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Książka, przy której do ostatniej strony wahałam się z oceną. Zrodziła ona w mojej głowie pewną dyskusje na temat tworzenia przyjaźni pomiędzy dorosłymi a nastolatkami - gdzie powinna zostać postawiona granica, gdzie pojawia się ta linia między odpowiedzialnymi działaniami a brakiem smaku? Tutaj, myślę, zostało to bardzo dobrze wykorzystane i warto ją przeczytać od deski do deski, aby uzyskać pełen obraz sytuacji. W końcu historię poznajemy z punktu widzenia Lennego. To on jest narratorem i podaje czytelnikowi te informacje, które chce, ale też nie wie wszystkiego, co się dzieje "za kulisami".
Naprawdę lektura warta sięgnięcia i przedyskutowania (nie tylko o tego rodzaju znajomościach, ale też bullingu w szkole, wartości komunikacji oraz trudnych emocjach związanych z dorastaniem i ciężkimi sytuacjami rodzinnymi).

[Nicpon Literacki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lubię rozpoczynać rok książką dla dzieci lub młodzieży. Tym razem będąc w księgarni to właśnie ten tytuł zwrócił moją uwagę, nawet nie wiem dlaczego.
Lenny, pierwsze lata nastoletniości nie są dla niego łaskawe. W szkole jest ofiarą wyzwisk i poszturchiwań. Poza szkołą to chłopak, który uwielbia haiku, nawet nieźle śpiewa i tęskni za swoim starszym bratem. Bodźcem do zmian jest Bruce, przypadkowo poznany mieszkaniec kartonowego szałasu, który jest nie tylko świetnym gitarzystą, ale i najlepszym kumplem Lennego. To z nim ustawiają dyrektorkę szkoły do pionu, zarabiają „górę kasy” na ulicy i wyruszają w podróż, na końcu, której chłopak musi stawić czoła swoim obawom.
To historia nie tylko o przyjaźni, ale i zaufaniu, szczerości i odpowiedzialności. Nawet mnie wzruszyła. Bardzo polecam!

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lenny is a 12 year old Scottish boy who is constantly bullied at school about his weight. He has very low self-esteem, and feels unsupported by his parents, who are disconnected from him and wrapped up in their own worries. His older brother, Frankie, no longer lives with them, and Lenny desperately misses him and blames himself for Frankie being gone.
Lenny truants from school regularly, and while hanging out, he meets Bruce, a homeless man, and they strike up an unlikely friendship.
Bruce listens, and encourages Lenny, and with Bruce’s help, a plan is hatched for Lenny to connect with Frankie, and get some closure on past events.
I liked how more of Lenny and Frankie’s story is gradually revealed, and we slowly learn more of Bruce’s background. A feel good story about true friendship, growing up, and family relationships.

[Wendy Bamber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I just indulged myself and read this in one two hour sitting. It definitely lives up to the excellent reviews and I am desperate for one of my year 7/8 teachers to be the first to read this aloud and wait for the others to ask me for more copies. My new favourite book of the year. Kindness, humour, celebrating difference, courage, upstanding, family dynamics, all in here and more.

[Kat Schrav · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5. An incredibly different story about a young boy who befriends a homeless man. Deals with loss, bullying, acceptance and finding yourself. Strong male main characters Year 6+

[Daniëlle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, wat was dit mooi en hartverwarmend 🥹 Over een heel bijzondere vriendschap, met personages waar je om gaat geven. Echt een fijn verhaal met een belangrijke boodschap.

[EdenB15 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got this book out of my library last week. Honestly wasn’t the worst book I’ve ever read but i did expect a bit more. Got quite bored around Galway through yet something made me want to pursue on. The whole book was basically fat shaming the main character which was not cool at all. Other characters were ok tho. Wouldn’t necessarily recommend

[Jae · Rating 4 out of 5]

"We sit in silence for a while, but it's not a bad silence. Just two friends sharing air and space. Sometimes words are so useless, it's the silence that matters most. Good company doesn't have to be packed with a wall of noise all the time."

[Zac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cardboard Cowboys is one of those books that you want to keep reading, so that you can find out how the story ends, but you desperately don’t want the book to end and have to say goodbye to the characters. I knew, as soon as I read the blurb for this book, that I would love it, but I underestimated how much it would work its way into my head and heart.

Lenny is 12 and has just stated big school. He hates almost every minute of it because he is bullied because of his size. Lenny hates his body and the way that he gets treated because of it. He doesn’t get much attention at home and he thinks that his parents hate him, because of what he did. His brother, Frankie, was sent away as a result and his mother is struggling to deal with this. Lenny’s father is a lorry driver, so he is often away for long periods of time. With things the way they are at home and at school, Lenny often skips school and goes to his bench beside the canal. When he throws his Irn Bru can into the canal one day he meets Bruce, an old guy in a red bobble hat who lives in a cardboard house beside the canal. Lenny is intrigued by Bruce and he returns to the bench more often to talk with him. Bruce is the only person in Lenny’s life who will listen to him and Lenny finds himself opening up about his life and what happened to Frankie. Lenny knows that the only way to make things right is to go on a road trip to talk to his brother. Lenny can’t tell his parents about his plans so he has to convince Bruce to come with him. First though, they’ll have to earn some money to help them get the 177.3 miles to Frankie. Lenny isn’t even sure that Frankie will want to see him, but he has to try.

Cardboard Cowboys is an incredible, unforgettable story about two unlikely friends and the bond that grows between them. I loved every minute that I spent with Lenny and Bruce, whether it was watching them busking together or opening up to each other. Brian portrays two male characters, of completely different ages, dealing with complex emotions, whether it be guilt, shame or love. This is a story that helps you become a better person because you can’t help but feel empathy for these characters. You worry for Lenny and the guilt that he holds on to, and wonder what has happened in Bruce’s life that means he now lives in a cardboard house. Both Lenny and Bruce are complex characters, and Brian drip-feeds us details about them throughout the story. What is it that has happened to Lenny’s brother, Frankie, that means he isn’t at home anymore? And where has he gone away to? Why is Bruce living by the canal and where does he get his fancy clothes from? All these questions make you want to keep reading to get answers.

I love Lenny and Bruce’s friendship and the way that Brian addresses the strangeness of their relationship. They get on like a house on fire and have some great banter. In Bruce, Lenny finds someone that understands him, but also someone who just lets him talk. Lenny knows that Bruce will listen and offer advice, unlike his parents who don’t talk about their problems. Bruce sees the good inside Lenny and tries to bring it out. Bruce also does what he can to help Lenny out, including pretending to be his dad at an interview at his school. I loved watching their relationship develop throughout the story.

Music plays an important part in the story too, especially in connecting people. Lenny’s Mum clutches on to her favourite song and plays it on repeat after Reggie goes away. Thanks to Brian I now have Billie Jo Spears’ song ‘Blanket on the Ground’ on repeat in my head as I write this. Lenny and Bruce share a love of country music and go busking together to earn the money for their road trip. While they perform they comfort others with their music.

Lenny and Bruce are going to be hanging out in my head for a long time. Cardboard Cowboys is a book that I’ll be recommending to anyone who wants to listen. I highly recommend it as a read aloud or class novel for Years 7-9.

[Wallowing Hippo · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid 3 1/2

The bullying Lenny suffers is very realistic and his struggles are very touchingly portrayed.

I very much enjoyed the growing friendship between Lenny and Bruce and how this gradually helped Lenny overcome his fears and self doubts; it also highlights the fact that people who are homeless have stories behind the easy label of 'Homeless Person' (much like in 'The Soup Movement' by Ben Davis, which, I confess, I enjoyed rather more than this story).

I felt a little uncomfortable about the bus journey that Bruce and Lenny eventually embark upon. Although in the end this is handled very responsibly and sensibly, in a fashion that can lead to important discussions with young readers about secret relationships between an adult and child, as an adult reading it I couldn't help feeling a little unsettled at certain points.

I also found the whole drip feed reveal about Frankie a little tedious and overdone as it was clear to me from very early on where Frankie was, although that might not be the case to a younger reader.

[whatbooknext · Rating 4 out of 5]

12 year old Lenny is finding things tough at the moment. Dad’s away even more than ever in his truck driving job allCardboard Cowboys Book Review Cover over Europe, Mum is playing even more sad country music than usual, and watching more bland TV.

School is a bit rough too. He tries to ignore the taunts, the jibes, the endless jokes at his expense, even from the teachers, but they cut deep. Ever since his big brother and protector Frankie went away, the bullying never stops. This bullying is why Frankie left, and Lenny blames himself.

Mum’s moping around the house and her endless country music is also Lenny’s fault. He knows Mum misses Frankie like mad. If only he could apologise to Frankie, then maybe things could be a little better? Frankie must blame him too.

Avoiding school when he can, Lenny sits on a park bench down by a canal. After downing another can of drink Irn-Bru (a Scottish favourite soft drink), he throws the can in the canal. This is the moment he meets Bruce, a homeless man living in a house make of cardboard.

Over time and while negotiating school, home, and his heavy load of guilt about Frankie, Lenny gets to know Bruce. He finds he is a good listener, patient, calm and understanding. The two become firm friends and devise a plan for Lenny to do what he’s been aching to do since Frankie left. Say sorry.



I was excited to read a new novel by Brian Conaghan and Cardboard Cowboys is as awesome as I anticipated. This author always delivers characters so real, they become part of your family while you are reading, then stick around in your head and heart well after the last page.

Lenny is struggling with his weight, and blames everything tough in his life on it. A new, non judgmental friendship helps the inner, and talented Lenny out – timid at first after so much bullying, then braver, then well on the way to being the person he is meant to be.

Guilt is a powerful emotion, and Bruce helps Lenny deal with it, not only by helping him with his quest to see Frankie, but to understand he isn’t to blame for other’s behaviour.

The truth about Frankie, and Bruce’s own story is slowly revealed throughout the novel, taking you on a ride of a young boy’s discovery of true friendship, self esteem, and hope for the future.

Wonderful!

Author – Brian Conaghan

Age – 10+

[Maaike de Vries · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cardboard cowboys - Brian Conaghan
Lenny Lambert is dik. Tenminste, dat hoort hij voortdurend van zijn leeftijdsgenoten op school. Hij krijgt de vreselijkste dingen naar zijn hoofd gesmeten. Dingen die je raken in je hart, die je misselijk maken en een droge keel bezorgen. Lenny wil het niet binnen laten komen, maar het is onmogelijk om het te negeren.

Daarom slaat Lenny regelmatig een les over op school. De lessen waar hij ‘zijn leven niet zeker is’ zoals gym en biologie. Dan gaat hij op een bankje zitten langs het kanaal. Op een dag ontmoet hij daar Bruce, een zonderlinge figuur, een zwerver van 52 jaar die in een huis van kartonnen dozen woont. De eerste kennismaking is wat stroef, maar gaandeweg krijgen ze waardering voor elkaar. Hij luistert naar Lenny.

En Lenny heeft nogal wat te vertellen. Over zijn broer Frankie, die opeens niet meer thuis woont en waar Lenny zich schuldig over voelt. Maar waarom? En waarom doet zijn moeder zo afwijzend en is zijn vader zo afwezig? Bruce opent het hart van Lenny en laat hem voelen dat hij ertoe doet. Maar daarvoor moeten ze eerst samen op een roadtrip en moet Lenny zijn angst om op te treden voor publiek overwinnen. Alles om Frankie weer te kunnen zien.

Dit boek bezorgt je een knoop in je maag, maar ook een glimlach op je gezicht. Lenny is een bijzondere en gevoelige jongen. En die pesterijen: houdt het dan nooit op?? Lenny ontdekt gelukkig dat zelfliefde de sleutel is en dat je er daardoor ‘boven kunt staan’, maar het blijft verschrikkelijk dat kinderen elkaar pesten om hoe ze eruit zien. Lenny trekt uiteindelijk de conclusie:

“Ik heb nog nooit iemand sorry horen zeggen omdat ze mager of gemiddeld zijn: alleen mensen zoals ik doen dat. Maar eerlijk, waar zou ik me voor moeten verontschuldigen?”

Dit boek is een hoopvol en humoristisch verhaal voor alle kinderen die gepest worden of ermee te maken hebben. Het is een warm, liefdevol en spannend verhaal over eigenwaarde, ouderschap en vriendschap. Geschikt voor kinderen vanaf 10/11 jaar ongeveer. Verschenen bij uitgeverij Lemniscaat.

[Katy Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Friendship, family, grief and finding inner strength.

Lenny is that kid your heart aches for, if you're an adult reading this. If you're a kid, you'll know someone like him. You might even be him. He's the one who doesn't fit in, who attracts the attention of bullies for something he can't help, the student who's different.

And this story gives backstory to that. A history that shows just what we hide from other people, the guilt we carry, the secrets we don't talk about in our families. And also the ways we can help each other.

Lenny's brother no longer lives at home. His parents don't like to talk about it. Lenny misses him, and talks about the guilt he feels. Just where is his brother? He aches for his dad to pay him some attention, do things with him. For his mum to show him she cares. At school he is constantly picked on because of his size. Even when he truants to escape them, a homeless man shouts at him for throwing a crisp packet.

But that is the start of a surprising friendship, as Lenny gets to know Bruce, and the two embark on a very sweet and illuminating journey that gives readers insight into the lives of both those without homes and those whose homes are lonely and sad.

I really savoured the story, watching the way each of the two protagonists brought something out in the other. And the vision of a friendship spanning decades, one responsibly portrayed, of equals and mutual support. There are some moving scenes, including that of a bullying expose in school, and a road trip, with mutual secrets gradually uncovered as trust develops.

There is a lot here that young readers may be affected by, it is a wonderful chance to explore some important themes of family relationships, bullying, homelessness.

An author who always brings readers memorable characters and identifiable plots.

For ages 10-14.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.

[Sophie Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book follows Lenny as he meets Bruce and you watch as their friendship unfurls and how these two individuals heal each other's wounds. It's a lovely story that demonstrates how important friendship is and how communicating your issues can make you feel better. Share the load and all that.

Lenny is being bullied at school because he is overweight. So he starts skipping school. He then stumbles across Bruce who is a homeless man living in a cardboard house. Over time the two help each other out. Bruce helps Lenny come out of his shell, stop truanting and visit his brother who is in prison. On the flip side, Lenny helps Bruce come to terms with his own history and he talks about his past.

What I liked about this book was it was easy to read and a nice introduction to reading Scottish dialect. It was also just a really nice story and I like how Conaghan tackled the story of bullying, homelessness, and imprisonment. What is also nice is that throughout the book I did not realize how odd Bruce and Lenny's relationship was as it was always painted in a genuine manner but Conagahan reminds us about stranger danger and quashes any bad reflections which may blowback on Bruce as he explains that Brue was always in contact with his parents. So weirdness averted! I am glad he mentioned this in the end as it is an important message to remember.

Things I didn't like about this book. I hated the descriptions of Lenny and the bullies. It annoyed me how incompetent everyone was and how they let it go on. I also did not like how everyone referred to Frankie as 'Our Frankie'. It just annoyed me. Like we know which Frankie you are all talking about.

A lovely little story that starts off slow but will keep you smiling. I enjoyed all the haiku's too! I am a huge sucker for a good Haiku.

Here goes:

Meet Lenny and Bruce,
The Cardboard Cowboys busking,
Forever friendship.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

De onverwachte vriendschap tussen de brugklasser Lenny en de 52-jarige dakloze Bruce. Beiden leren elkaar zoveel, van zelfrespect tot muzikaliteit en levenslust.
Het was mooi om te lezen hoe Lenny's zelfbeeld veranderde naarmate hij leerde dat hij daadwerkelijk veel toe te voegen heeft aan de wereld. De schoonheid die niet alleen bestaat uit je uiterlijk en dat je gewicht je niet definieert.
Het boek gaat over best zware onderwerpen waaronder: omgaan met pesten, overgewicht, schuld, verdriet en rouw, maar de manier waarop de auteur het beschrijft maakt het allemaal goed behapbaar voor kinderen en ik zou dit boek dan ook zeker aanraden!

Verschijnt in het Nederlands bij Lemniscaat op 18 april 2024 :)

[Andrew Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was all set to give this book three stars and use this review to moan about how Conanghan's MG books are nowhere near as good as his YA books after reading the pedestrian first half, however, this really got going aound halfway through. From the busking scene onwards I found it to be great, and began to care about the characters, theres a bit of mystery surrounding who everyone is and where they are but everything is resolved by the emotional ending. There are a couple of massive coincidences that are probably invisibe to an 11 year old that don't detract from the plot. it was good and i enjoyed it, although if you read this, stick with it, as it gets better the further in you get.

[Dev Ayan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cardboard Cowboys had the right blend of innocence, emotions, and representation amidst a humane story of a child's journey.

This book talks about fat shaming, bullying, fraternal love, parenting, and loss.

Wonderful book. I would recommend it to every kid.

[Anna Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent story about family, friendship, being comfortable with who you are and finding your tribe. Themes of body shaming, bullying and homelessness. This would make a fantastic read aloud for upper primary with lots of great discussion points.

[Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an absolutely amazing read. Touches on subjects like body image, bullying, youth offending and the effects on the family, homelessness and reasons behind it... judging a book by its cover or a person by their appearance. A perfect book for a young adult/pre teen to read I think.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I real enjoyed this
It did quite unsubtly hammer home the actions of a responsible adult (which while probably a good thing was also slightly jarring)

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book of the year.
Tissues will be needed.

[Coral Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Friendship in the most unlikeliest of places, overcoming your fears, celebrating your strenghts and learning to have self confidence.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely cracking. Lenny's voice is so strong and true, I was sucked in from the first page. Serious themes and sadness, 10+

[Flora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very sweet story, took a wee while to get going, but well worth the read!