By Lisa Williamson (author) , Jess Bradley (illustrator) Part of the Bigg School series
"A return to Bigg School for more superb contemporary school adventures."
Paperback In Stock £7.99 £7.19
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March 2026 Book of the Month
The latest in the deservedly highly praised Bigg School series puts one of the boys in the spotlight, specifically Ollie.
Outwardly he’s popular, confident, a leader, but as the events of the story reveal, nowhere near as secure or happy as he likes to make out.
When he dares – you could also say bullies – his friend into doing something reckless, he gets into serious trouble but is also ostracised by many of his classmates. Bored and suddenly feeling isolated, he teams up with a boy in the year above.
Readers will pretty quickly realise that Luca is thoughtless, selfish, untrustworthy, quite unpleasant. It takes Ollie much longer to work it out, and he does some cruel and finally dangerous things to try to win and retain Luca’s admiration.
The action is typically sharply observed, and both boys are extremely well drawn characters. Fortunately, things work out happily for Ollie, with some of the other issues that affect him being resolved too.
Readers will all know an Ollie or someone very like him, and hopefully they’ll learn to recognise and steer clear of any Lucas they come across. This is another page-turning, engrossing helping of contemporary school life.
This is the perfect series for children who have recently started in Year 7, and for those in Year 6 ready to make the transition to secondary school, just like the characters in the books!
Read the full description
Ollie Marsden is popular and confident, but when his mates are banned from hanging out with him because he’s a bad influence, Ollie realises how much he hates being on his own.
Determined to impress Luca, a boy from the year above, Ollie accepts all his dares to prove his worth. As the risks get bigger, Ollie is sure he can count on Luca, but will his new friend have his back when it really matters?
Praise for the Bigg School series:
'The perfect books for anyone starting secondary school. Warm, funny and wise' - Holly Bourne
'Relatable, real and really funny ... This warm, true-to-life story will hit the spot with so many readers.' - Karen McCombie, author
'Funny, touching and wise... as good as Jacqueline Wilson at her best' - The Bookseller
'Heartfelt and funny, this is a story about staying true to yourself, no matter what - and about real friendship' - Sinead O'Hart, author of The Time Tider
'A fresh, funny story filled with feelings around the highs and lows and ins and outs of friendship. Lisa Williamson and Jess Bradley feel a perfect pairing and have brilliantly captured the seismic shifts of changing schools, house and friendship groups.' - Jake Hope - Youth Libraries Group
'This is a delight! It's warm and engaging, and perfectly pitched. Lisa's characters are spot on! We are all Lola and we all know a Cleo'. - Abie Longstaff, author of The Trapdoor Mysteries Series
'I absolutely loved Best Friends Forever . It's a warm, funny and bittersweet story of growing up and growing apart. This will resonate with so many young people, especially those leaving primary school. Lisa's writing is honest and heartfelt, and her portrayal of Lola's struggle to hold on to her best friend and fit in at her new school whilst remaining true to herself was captivating to read and felt so real. It's a best friend in a book. I just loved it.' - Tamsin Winter, author of Bad Influence
Lisa Williamson was born and grew up in Nottingham. Following a degree in drama, she worked as an actor for over a decade before writing her debut novel. The Art of Being Normal went on to win the Waterstones Children's Book Prize for Best Older Fiction. Lisa is also the author of All About Mia, Paper Avalanche, First Names: Malala (Yousafzai) and was one of seven contributors to the collaborative YA novel Floored. When she's not writing, Lisa loves long walks, long talks, dessert, good books and bad TV. She lives in London.
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This is the perfect series for children who have recently started in Year 7, and for those in Year 6 ready to make the transition to secondary school, just like the characters in the books! Ollie Marsden is popular and confident, but when his mates are banned from hanging out with him because he’s a bad influence, Ollie realises how much he hates being on his own.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Bigg School: Dare Devil and determined it is suitable for children aged 9-12 years old
Bigg School: Dare Devil features in the following genres: Featured Books for 9+ readers, Featured Books for 11+ readers, Books of the Month, Recommendations, Stories about Family and Friends, School Stories, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational
Paperback. £7.19, down from the £7.99 cover price. In Stock.
Bigg School: Dare Devil was written by Lisa Williamson and published by Guppy Books an imprint of Guppy Publishing Ltd
Bigg School: Dare Devil has 223 pages
Yes it is part of Bigg School series
£7.19, reduced from £7.99. In Stock.
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