Glitter Boy

Eleven-year-old James loves dancing, poetry, and Mariah Carey. Buthe's being bullied by a boy at school, and as the secrets buildup, James begins to lose his spark. Can he find the strength tolet the truths out?

  “You are an inspiration!” - Mariah Carey on Ian Eagleton “Poignant, defiantly fabulous story” - Guardian “Glitter Boy is a nuanced, heart-warming and character led story of finding joy and love ” - Elle McNicoll, author of A Kind of Spark “An unflinching and ultimately uplifting read about identity, and finding the strength to be your true self. Brilliant for group discussion.” - Empathy Lab “A deeply moving, well-observed, and important story of being brave enough to be yourself ” - Children's Books Ireland A Polari-Prize-winning author presents an unforgettable story about a boy facing up to bullying - and his own truths. James loves dancing, poetry, and Mariah Carey (not in that order, though, because Mariah would obviously be first!). His teacher, Mr Hamilton, is getting married to his boyfriend and it seems that James will be part of a surprise choir performance at the wedding. But James's father seems uncomfortable about the plan, and a lot of other things - like any mention of Mr Hamilton, and James's dancing, and how James talks about his new friend Joel. Meanwhile, a different boy has been harassing James at school and calling him gay, and it's getting worse every day. James can find relief with his beloved Nan, she's been having worrying falls, and James can't tell anyone, or she might be sent to a faraway care home. The secrets are building up, and James is starting to lose his characteristic spark. Can he find the strength to let the truth out? A joyful, raw and timely novel about family, friends, enemies, and being true to who you really are. Perfect for fans of Alex Gino, A.M. Dassu, and The Boy At the Back of the Class. Ian Eagleton is the author of Nen and the Lonely Fisherman, which was shortlisted for The Bookseller's Book Of The Year - Discovery Category 2022