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Wild East
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  • Published: 23 May 2024
  • ISBN: 9780241723081
  • Imprint: Penguin Audio
  • Format: Audio Download
  • Narrator: Ashley Hickson-Lovence
  • RRP: $29.99

Wild East

Formats & editions
Paperback
13 Aug 2024
EBook
23 May 2024
Audiobook
23 May 2024
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Winner of the YA Diverse Book Award 2025, the Two Cities Book Award 2024, the Mal Peet Children’s Award 2024 and the East Anglian Book of the Year 2024, and nominated for the 2025 Carnegie Medal for Writing.

A soaring debut YA verse-novel by novelist, poet, and former secondary school teacher Ashley Hickson-Lovence. A perfect next read for fans of Jason Reynolds, Dean Atta and Manjeet Mann.

Winner of the YA Diverse Book Award 2025, the Two Cities Book Award 2024, the Mal Peet Children’s Award 2024 and the East Anglian Book of the Year 2024, and nominated for the 2025 Carnegie Medal for Writing.

A soaring debut YA verse-novel by novelist, poet, and former secondary school teacher Ashley Hickson-Lovence. A perfect next read for fans of Jason Reynolds, Dean Atta and Manjeet Mann.

‘A book meant to be heard . . . It's the fresh, \"spoken word\" style that makes Ronny's story’ The Times

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 East 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?

Praise for Wild East:

‘A powerful story of resilience, friendship, discovery and growth’ Jeffrey Boakye, author of Kofi and the Rap Battle Summer

‘I loved Ronny's kindness, vulnerability, empathy, tenacity and open-heartedness’ Patrice Lawrence, author of Orangeboy

‘Raw, moving, and so accessible. A powerful spoken-word style verse novel’ Rashmi Sirdeshpande, author of How To Be Extraordinary

‘Welcomes all types of readers . . . Hickson-Lovence has crafted a superb piece’ DD Armstrong, author of Ugly Dogs Don't Cry

‘Heartfelt and up-to-the-minute . . . A reminder that even short lines can take you a long way’ The Sunday Times

‘This empowering verse novel announces the arrival of an exciting new talent in YA fiction’ Waterstones.com
  • Published: 23 May 2024
  • ISBN: 9780241723081
  • Imprint: Penguin Audio
  • Format: Audio Download
  • Narrator: Ashley Hickson-Lovence
  • RRP: $29.99

About the author

Ashley Hickson-Lovence

Ashley Hickson-Lovence is a novelist, poet, literary critic, and Lecturer of Creative Writing. Wild East was his first multi-award-winning YA verse-novel, and was partly inspired by his time as a secondary school English teacher, his own move from London to Norwich, tutoring a group of asylum seekers at an Arvon retreat, and his love of British hip hop. Ashley has also written three adult novels: The 392, Your Show, which was longlisted for the Gordon Burn Prize and shortlisted for the East Anglian Book Awards, and About To Fall Apart. His poetry collection Why I Am Not a Bus Driver has been shortlisted for the Jhalak Poetry Prize and includes the poem 'Munster Road', highly commended for Best Single Poem at the Forward Prize. He holds a PhD in Creative and Critical Writing from the University of East Anglia and was nominated for the Black Excellence Award for Outstanding Contribution to Literature in 2023. His second YA verse-novel, Dead Ends, will publish in 2027.
portrait photo of Ashley Hickson-Lovence

Praise for Wild East

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

A cocktail of prose, poetry and creative writing that welcomes all types of readers...Hickson-Lovence has crafted a superb piece

DD Armstrong, author of Ugly Dogs Don't Cry

An astonishing and emotional story...an amazing tale of self-reflection, acceptance, and achieving your greatest aspirations

screenrant.com

This empowering verse novel announces the arrival of an exciting new talent in YA fiction

Waterstones.com

Compelling coming-of-age story inspired by the author’s own experiences

The Bookseller

A positive, uplifting tale that will inspire future word-smiths and those who dare to dream of better things to come

schoolreadinglist.co.uk

A brilliant verse novel for fans of Jason Reynolds

mrbsemporium.com

This book is really a love letter to words and writing, designed to help young people find their own voices as they watch Ronny embrace his

Nikki Gamble, Just Imagine

A love letter to poetry and rap lyrics. Celebrating diversity and identity, its verses are influenced by the creativity of Dean Atta, Manjeet Mann and South African writer Katherine Kilalea. Hickson-Lovence uses his personal experiences as the backbone of his narrative… Wild East empowers young adults to discover their own voices and to enjoy their creative abilities

Books for Keeps

I loved the way you name checked other writers and the power of their words...Most of all, I loved Ronny. I loved Ronny's kindness, vulnerability, empathy, tenacity and open-heartedness

Patrice Lawrence, author of Orangeboy

A book meant to be heard...It's the fresh, "spoken word" style that makes Ronny's story special

The Times

Loved this book. Raw, moving, and so accessible. A powerful spoken-word style verse novel

Rashmi Sirdeshpande, author of How To Be Extraordinary

If you've never tried a verse novel, this could be one for you as it cleverly links rap, slam poetry and verse together...an ideal read for short attention spans or anyone who loves a fast read.

Children's Books Ireland

For reluctant readers in need of a gentle route towards poetry...heartfelt and up-to-the-minute...A reminder that even short lines can take you a long way

The Sunday Times

This hard-hitting verse novel convinces from the first page...Powerful and memorable.

Branford Boase Award, 2025