Wild East
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Summary
Nominated for the 2025 Carnegie Medal for Writing.
Heartfelt and up-to-the-minute...A reminder that even short lines can take you a long way – The Sunday Times.
The soaring debut YA verse-novel by Ashley Hickson-Lovence, perfect for fans of Jason Reynolds, Manjeet Mann, and Dean Atta.
Pen in one hand, on my wrist, a ticking clock
I've got to make this work, just need a little luck...
When fourteen-year-old Ronny’s life is struck by tragedy, his mum decides it’s finally time they move out of London.
In his new city, as a Black teenager in a mostly white school, Ronny feels like a complete outsider and struggles to balance keeping his head down with his ambition of becoming a rapper.
But when a local poet comes into class, Ronny discovers a world he’s never considered before. Rap is like spoken word, bars equal poetry – and maybe the combination of both could be the key to achieving his dreams?
This empowering verse novel announces the arrival of an exciting new talent in YA fiction – Waterstones.com
Praise for Wild East:
A powerful story of resilience, friendship, discovery and growth - Jeffrey Boakye, author of Kofi and the Rap Battle Summer
An amazing tale of self-reflection, acceptance, and achieving your greatest aspirations - screenrant.com
Welcomes all types of readers...Hickson-Lovence has crafted a superb piece - DD Armstrong, author of Ugly Dogs Don't Cry
Readers say:
"Although a YA novel, this is a book I think everyone should read."
"Wild East is an outstanding piece of work."
Heartfelt and up-to-the-minute...A reminder that even short lines can take you a long way – The Sunday Times.
The soaring debut YA verse-novel by Ashley Hickson-Lovence, perfect for fans of Jason Reynolds, Manjeet Mann, and Dean Atta.
Pen in one hand, on my wrist, a ticking clock
I've got to make this work, just need a little luck...
When fourteen-year-old Ronny’s life is struck by tragedy, his mum decides it’s finally time they move out of London.
In his new city, as a Black teenager in a mostly white school, Ronny feels like a complete outsider and struggles to balance keeping his head down with his ambition of becoming a rapper.
But when a local poet comes into class, Ronny discovers a world he’s never considered before. Rap is like spoken word, bars equal poetry – and maybe the combination of both could be the key to achieving his dreams?
This empowering verse novel announces the arrival of an exciting new talent in YA fiction – Waterstones.com
Praise for Wild East:
A powerful story of resilience, friendship, discovery and growth - Jeffrey Boakye, author of Kofi and the Rap Battle Summer
An amazing tale of self-reflection, acceptance, and achieving your greatest aspirations - screenrant.com
Welcomes all types of readers...Hickson-Lovence has crafted a superb piece - DD Armstrong, author of Ugly Dogs Don't Cry
Readers say:
"Although a YA novel, this is a book I think everyone should read."
"Wild East is an outstanding piece of work."
Reviews
A powerful story of resilience, friendship, discovery and growth...Ashley has that rare ability to draw you in quietly and leave you feeling totally invested. I’m certain that if I had this when I was younger it would have changed my life, genuinely
Jeffrey Boakye, author of Kofi and the Rap Battle Summer