Advice from a 12-Year-Old Nobody

Reviews / Votes

"A moving, wise, and beautifully observed novel. This book captures the quiet ache of feeling alone and turns it into something hopeful and human. By answering the questions in his mum's agony-aunt column, Vinny discovers what we all learn eventually: everyone carries troubles, and sharing them - solved or not - makes them lighter." - Jenny Pearson "If you have ever felt unheard, Advice from a 12-Year-Old Nobody might be just the book for you. Funny, honest and heartwarming, this story follows Vinny, a boy who feels invisible; his mum is a popular online advice guru, yet she overlooks the struggles happening right at home ... What makes this story special is how real Vinny feels. He is clever, kind and doing his best, even when life gets messy. You will laugh at his jokes, feel his loneliness and root for him as he finds his voice. This book gently explores imperfect families and how adults can miss what is right in front of them." - Children's Books Ireland "This is such a compassionate and nuanced portrayal of family breakdown and friendship issues, with an emphasis throughout on the importance of talking about things and that there are no quick fix or happy-ever-after solutions that this is bound to help many young readers better understand themselves and their situations." - LoveReading4Kids "In her moving, wise and empathetic tale about family and mental health, Carnegie-shortlisted author and comedian Helen Rutter captures the quiet ache of feeling alone and turns it into something hopeful and human ... Advice from a 12-Year-Old Nobody explores the fears and concerns that can grip youngsters and reminds adults that sometimes they miss those important warning signs of a troubled child." - Burnley Express "Helen Rutter's characters are three dimensional and believable, even if the situation with Vinny finding his Mum's old blog stretches credulity. The message of this book is loud and clear. No problem is too big to talk about with those you love." - Books for Keeps