Game Over!

By Author / Illustrator

Serena Patel, illus Louise Forshaw

Genre

Friends and family

Age range(s)

Publisher

HarperCollins Publishers

ISBN

9780008736729

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

11-09-2025

Synopsis

When Jay discovers a talent for computing, will he pursue his newfound passion or follow the crowd? A heartwarming story from the multi-award winning author of Anisha the Accidental Detective.

Can you be true to yourself without losing your friends along the way? Jay is excited about a game-design project being worked on by the Computing Club at school. He wants to join in, but there's a big problem.

Jay's friends think Computing is only for nerds and they want him to join a new football team with them. Both activities happen at the same time, so Jay has to choose. Can he find the courage to tell his friends how he really feels, and if he does, will it mean their friendship is over ...?

Particularly suitable for readers aged 9+ with a reading age of 8.

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Reviews

Jane

Game Over is a story that grabs even reluctant readers' interest and attention from start to finish. Furthermore, its uncomplicated writing style and easy-to-read font mean that many will want to devour this in one sitting, especially if they are fans of football or computing. Why? Because footie and gaming are more than popular pastimes to Jay and Noah, they are passions; passions that threatens to untie Jay and Noah's long-term friendship.

How can Jay admit that his heart is in the world of tech, not on the pitch, when Noah's sights depend on his dream team winning the League? Surely, he'll lose his best mate, amid taunts and teasing, even if Mr Chan's computing club does get an award from the biggest brand name in computer science? Time for a few home truths. Even if Jay's not much inclined to listen to Mum or big sister, he does know that you don't lie to your friends and that, ultimately, you have to be true to yourself.

Serena Patel is possibly best known for her Accidental Detective series, but here she proves her writing talent for a different audience. Add some illustrations which perfectly convey the humour and the contemporary setting, together with Barrington Stoke's publishing acumen, and this short story has to be a winner.

72 pages / Reviewed by Jane Rew, school librarian