The Beck

"Witty, wise and occasionally wicked, nobody tells a story like the great Tony McGowan." – Phil Earle

"The Beck is constantly entertaining, equally thought-provoking, and proof yet again of Anthony McGowan’s wonderful storytelling skills. Full of hope and humour, there’s heart and soul on every page." – Keith Gray

"Anthony McGowan is a miraculous storyteller. He has the power to move you, make you laugh out loud, cringe in embarrassment and recoil in disgust in a single page. This book is a small piece of magic from the mind of a very great writer." – Katya Balen

"Such brilliant, immediate story telling; one of those books that takes you into the landscape and along with the characters. I was right there with Kyle, the reluctant hero, as Karthi and Grandpa prodded him from behind … Absolutely brilliant." — Hilary McKay

"A gorgeous story, told with McGowan’s signature wit and tight, spare prose. I cried. I laughed. I crossed my fingers for Kyle and Karthi and Rude Word too." — Jo Nadin

"Love, love, love this ⁩. A boy’s relationship with his grumpy grandpa in Leeds, a 3-legged dog, a terrific heroine, bullies & a battle to save an urban stream. It’s like Kes, but funny, warm & hopeful. Another winner!" — Amanda Craig

"Anthony McGowan's novels are always ones to look forward to – books for children that go beyond the usual suspects. Books that make children think." — Vaseem Khan

"A little book that packs so much in and does what it set out to do brilliantly. Loved the relationship between the main character and his granddad. Loved the setting and what it had to say about the natural world and how we need to value and treasure it more." — The Overflowing Library, blog