Being Me
Pete Kalu

Overview

The latest ‘Striker’ novel looks at the world of football from an adolescent female perspective

Meet Adele Vialli: an intelligent, funny and resourceful 14-year-old – and a born troublemaker. Bored by her privileged life in a leafy suburb, Adele prefers shoplifting and hanging out with her footballer boyfriend, Marcus (from The Silent Striker, the previous book in the series).  As the weary school counsellor says: ‘there’s never a dull day with Adele.’

Adele is the star of her school’s football team, and when an England scout comes on the lookout for potential new players, Adele’s future seems full of promise. But when her city banker dad suddenly starts flirting with the mother of her ‘frenemy’ and fellow footballer Mikaela, a war breaks out between the two girls which threatens to throw everything off course. 

Teenage rivalry, family troubles – and the beautiful game. Being Me is an honest, tender and witty examination of what it means to grow up in a culturally-diverse Britain today, and the struggle every young person goes through of finding out and understanding who they really are.
Follow Adele on Twitter @adelevialli  and check out  her blog if you wanna know what makes her tick. 

Young Adult | ISBN: 9781908446411  | eBook

Pete Kalu introduces Adele his star player in Being Me

Pete Kalu

Pete Kalu is a storyteller and author.  He has published five novels for adults and has won prizes for both his theatre plays and his poetry, including the BBC’s Dangerous Comedy Award 2003.  He is a PhD Creative Writing student at Lancaster University. He lives in Manchester.

Press & media coverage

Deptford & New Cross South London Press coverage of Pete's visit to Addey  & Stanhope School where he meets young readers and aspiring writers during his lunchtime visitmore >

Pete's visit to Addey  & Stanhope School in pictures of his lunchtime vist more >

Reviews


'The story of Adele, a girl with a rotten family, an aching heart, and a questionable best friend, it's a witty, lively novel of growing up female, black, and middle class in contemporary London. As Adele navigates an everyday gauntlet of soccer matches, fights with her best friend, texts and furtive kisses with her boyfriend (her first!), and the travails of her screwed up family, Kalu takes us back to those tough teen years, of learning to hold things together in the midst of chaos--and sorting things out by figuring out just who you are, and who you want to be.
'
The Readers Corner, Blog Tours >
‘An innovative, impressive and well crafted narrative that strikes a chord for young and old alike.’
Carol Leeming FRSA
‘A witty, lively novel of growing up female, black, and middle class in contemporary London . Adele in Being Me sits alongside some other great non-conventional girl YA characters such as Lyra in His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman, Sephy in Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman, Katniss Everdeen of the Hunger Games trilogy and the fascinating title heroine in Catherine Johnsons’ most recent novel.
The Curious Tale of Lady Caraboo’
Sarah's Chapter blog
>

Share this title


More in the Striker Series


You're Not Proper
Tariq Mehmood

Share by: