Moth Boy

Moth Boy, by Clare Hudman tells the story of Ches, who was left, as a new-born baby, in a plastic bag on a doorstep. With Ches was a letter from his birthmother, which he was to read when he was ten years old.

However, he learns that people in his adopted family have already seen the contents of the letter, so he runs away.

After spending the night in a garden shed he is discovered, on his birthday, by Raffy, his sort of brother, who has spent years tormenting him at school.

Raffy decides to disguise Ches as a girl and takes him on a madcap adventure using bikes and trains to reach Brean Down, which is not far from Weston-Super-Mare.

Ches needs to learn if Raffy is now really a new friend, or if Raffy is still, after all, his sworn enemy?

But Raffy's own life (along with his twin sister Inga) hasn't been easy. After Ches was adopted by his loving family, Mrs Trunk's husband decided to leave his wife (after her third miscarriage) and managed to impregnate his new wife with the twins, named, for no good reason Ches could discern, as Raffy and Inga.

Raffy and Ches have come into the world in different, though equally dysfunctional, ways. And this has resulted in them both (understandably) having issues. And they both have the same questions. Am I loved? Can anyone love me?

A situation comes about that pushes them towards finding at least some of the answers they seek for themselves.

Nana Lil might be able to help them, but alcohol means that her mental acuity isn't quite what it once was. So, can she help them? After all, Nana Lil has not had an easy life, either.

This is a very moving book which will, in all probability make you cry.

It needs to be in many Christmas stockings this year.

It's published by The Book Guild at £7.99.