Nice story about a boy called Arnie who is in Year 7. He hands around with a local thug called Jacko at the pool during Summer but one day decides he has had enough of Jacko and his friends. Arnie is also trying to cope with the death of his older brother Callum and how this has effected his entire family especially his mother. To make matters worse, Callum died on Arnie's birthday and so the family seem to forget that it is Arnie's special day in their grief. Its only Arnie's impending fight with Jacko (after getting in trouble with the Principal three times in one week) that seems to wake up his family to what is going on. Short book (138p) suitable for Year 7 boys. ( )