Listen to a sample
Face
- Author
- Benjamin Zephaniah
- Narrator
- Ben Bailey Smith
- Publisher
- Bloomsbury Publishing
- Publish Date
- 3 September 2020
- Run Time
- 4 hours 1 minute
- Format
- Audiobook
- Genre
- Children’s / Teenage fiction: General, modern and contemporary fiction, Children’s / Teenage: Personal and social topics, Children’s / Teenage fiction and true stories, Modern and contemporary fiction: literary and general, Narrative theme: social issues / social problems, Children’s / Teenage personal and social topics: Self-awareness and self-esteem, Children’s / Teenage personal and social topics: Racism and anti-racism
What to expect
'A brilliant first novel' Guardian
In the moving and compelling debut novel from Benjamin Zephaniah, a young man's life is completely changed when his face is badly scarred in a car accident.
Martin seems to have it all. He's cool, funny, and he's the undisputed leader of the Gang of Three, who roam their East London estate during the holidays looking for fun. But one night after the Gang leave a late night rap club, Martin accepts a ride from Pete, a Raider's Posse gang member. Too late, he realises that the car is stolen, and that the police are after them.
What happens next will change Martin's life and looks, and show him the true meaning of strength, courage, discrimination and friendship.
Brilliantly written and with a real ear for dialogue, fans of Angie Thomas and Malorie Blackman will love Benjamin Zephaniah's novels for young adult readers:
Refugee Boy
Face
Gangsta Rap
Teacher's Dead
Critics Review
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A brilliant first novel
Guardian on FACE
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A lively and positive account of a boy who is badly scarred in a joyriding crash, and how he comes to terms with it ... incredibly well told
Irish Times on FACE
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An impressive debut, carefully researched ... Zephaniah writes wonderfully natural dialogue with the same ease as he spins out rhyming couplets
Herald on FACE
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The playful, obstinate and courageously humorous tone of Zephaniah's writing shines through ... hilarious and later heartbreaking
Alfred Hickling, Guardian on REFUGEE BOY
See more reviews See fewer reviews
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Sweet, funny, highly inventive
Yorkshire Post on REFUGEE BOY
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Humour and innocence are both to the fore as is a sweetness of tone ... more street than poetic, and personal yet universal, Refugee Boy is well told by impassioned writer
York Press on REFUGEE BOY
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The authority with which the story is written leaves the reader no choice but to be drawn in – and indeed educated – into the world of gangsta rap, with all the appropriate vocabulary. Not for a long time have I read a book with such a 'pick me up again' factor
Independent on Sunday on GANGSTA RAP
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A fairytale of hip-hop success ... teens will enjoy the thrilling music fantasy, while many will identify with the smart, talented boys who grow up quickly and rescue themselves
Booklist on GANGSTA RAP
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Benjamin Zephaniah rides straight through everybody's taboos, everybody's prejudices, everybody's niceties and gets straight to the heart of the matter … Strong, honest, democratic, accessible to all, Teacher's Dead comes highly recommended
The Bookbag's Jill Murphy on TEACHER'S DEAD
User Reviews
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Details
- Author
- Benjamin Zephaniah
- Narrator
- Ben Bailey Smith
- Duration
- 4 hours 1 minute
- Release Date
- 3 September 2020
- ISBN
- 9781526627698
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Bloomsbury Publishing
- Genre
- Children’s / Teenage fiction: General, modern and contemporary fiction, Children’s / Teenage: Personal and social topics, Children’s / Teenage fiction and true stories, Modern and contemporary fiction: literary and general, Narrative theme: social issues / social problems, Children’s / Teenage personal and social topics: Self-awareness and self-esteem, Children’s / Teenage personal and social topics: Racism and anti-racism
Synopsis
Bloomsbury presents Face by Benjamin Zephaniah, read by Ben Bailey Smith.'A brilliant first novel' GuardianIn the moving and compelling debut novel from Benjamin Zephaniah, a young man's life is completely changed when his face is badly scarred in a car accident. Martin seems to have it all. He's cool, funny, and he's the undisputed leader of the Gang of Three, who roam their East London estate during the holidays looking for fun. But one night after the Gang leave a late night rap club, Martin accepts a ride from Pete, a Raider's Posse gang member. Too late, he realises that the car is stolen, and that the police are after them. What happens next will change Martin's life and looks, and show him the true meaning of strength, courage, discrimination and friendship. Brilliantly written and with a real ear for dialogue, fans of Angie Thomas and Malorie Blackman will love Benjamin Zephaniah's novels for young adult readers: Refugee BoyFaceGangsta RapTeacher's Dead
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