Being Billy
by Phil Earle
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Being Billy is the award-winning first novel by Phil Earle. ***Heroic, Phil Earle's hugely anticipated third novel is out on 24 April 2013*** Faces flashed before my eyes. And for every face there was a time that they had let me down. Each punch that landed was revenge, my chance to tell them I hadn't forgotten what they did. Eight years in a care home makes Billy Finn a professional lifer. And Billy's angry - with the system, the social workers, and the mother that gave him away. As far as show more Billy's concerned, he's on his own. His little brother and sister keep him going, though they can't keep him out of trouble. But he isn't being difficult on purpose. Billy's just being Billy. He can't be anything else. Can he? 'Phil Earle writes starkly but sensitively about damaged children in this brilliant page-turning novel. It moved me to tears' - Jacqueline Wilson 'Being Billy was a total page-turner - authentic and gritty. Billy's voice doesn't falter . . . spiky, brave and compassionate' - Jenny Downham, author of Before I Die 'Moving and powerful, I loved it' - Sophie McKenzie Phil Earle was born, raised and schooled in Hull. His first job was as a care worker in a children's home, an experience that influenced the ideas behind Being Billy. He then trained as a drama therapist and worked in a therapeutic community in south London, caring for traumatized and abused adolescents. After a couple of years in the care sector, Phil chose the more sedate lifestyle of a bookseller, and now works in children's publishing. Phil lives in south-east London with his wife and children, but Hull will always be home. show lessTags
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Billy Finn has spent eight years in a care home. And he's angry - with the system, the social workers, and the mother that gave him away. His little brother and sister keep him going, though they can't keep him out of trouble. This novel is about bad behaviour in a harsh setting but is not without hope.
[b:Being Billy|8624532|Being Billy|Phil Earle|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51cqiIR0g2L._SL75_.jpg|13495240] was so much better than I expected it to be! I found the description to be only vaguely intriguing and certainly nothing original at all. I didn't expect it to be so engaging and unique! I thought Billy was an excellently developed character and had no problems empathizing with him and his whole situation. While Billy is certainly not perfect, he's still a good person who has just been through a lot. I loved his relationship with his little siblings and I loved that he wasn't afraid to admit that he was wrong sometimes. Billy certainly grew as a character throughout the whole book and I was very satisfied with the ending. show more It wasn't amazing but it was well written, interesting and kept my attention until the very last page. show less
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29+ Works 521 Members
Phil Earle was born in Hull, United Kingdom in 1974. He studied English and drama at the University of Hull. His first job was as a social worker in a children's home. He then trained as a drama therapist and worked in a therapeutic community in London, caring for traumatized and abused adolescents. After a couple of years in the care sector, he show more decided to become a bookseller at Ottakar's. After three years, he became a sales rep, and then a key account manager for Transworld/Random House, and is now sales director at Simon and Schuster Children's Books. He is also the author of several books for children and young adults including Being Billy, Saving Daisy, Demolition Dad, and The Bubble Wrap Boy. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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- Reviews
- 3
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- (4.36)
- Languages
- Dutch, English, German
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
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- 4
