Listen to a sample
New You For Ever
- Author
- Steve Cole
- Narrator
- Charlie Bateman
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Publish Date
- 15 January 2026
- Run Time
- 1 hour 49 minutes
- Format
- x-book®
- Genre
- Children’s / Teenage fiction and true stories, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Speculative, dystopian and utopian fiction, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Science fiction, Children’s / Teenage social topics: Environment, sustainability and green issues, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Action and adventure stories, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Thrillers / suspense
What to expect
Can you save the world by living for ever? Anders uncovers the sinister truth about Pleekas in this gripping dystopian thriller from award-winning author Steve Cole.
The year is 2070, and the New You Foundation claim to have found the ultimate answer to the climate crisis. They want human beings to transform themselves into Pleekas – perfect artificial replicas. Pleekas can go on for ever but won’t create waste or use the Earth's resources.
Too good to be true?
When a chance meeting leads young journalist Anders Jones to the sinister truth, he must risk everything to expose New You – if it’s not already too late …
Particularly suitable for readers aged 11+ with a reading age of 8.
Critics Review
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"This story is about accessibility and its combination of simple language and sophisticated themes is pitched at secondary school pupils who need a confidence boost with their reading … if you’re looking for a smart conversation starter that tackles shortened concentration spans head on, this will do the trick." – The Times, Children's Book of the Week
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"Cole's latest novel feels frighteningly pertinent. Will scientists one day be able to turn us into robots that do not break down or get ill? What does it mean to be human? These are all questions that children will be asking themselves in this era of robots and AI, and this is a heart-stoppingly gripping dystopian novel, perfectly pitched at readers aged 11+ who want a short, sharp thrill of a read." – The Bookseller, Children's Book of the Month
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"A chilling dystopia that, in a world where human biohacking and AI are ever-encroaching on day-to-day life, feels uncanny and eerily possible." – Irish Examiner
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"New You For Ever is a twisty, fast-paced dystopian novel that engages the reader from page one with its approachable, casual tone. The world Anders lives in is eerily familiar to today’s world, and the characters are so well drawn that readers will be rooting for Anders and his dad before the end of the first chapter. … Perfect for fans of science fiction or dystopian fiction or anyone who likes a page-turner that keeps you on the edge of your seat." — Children's Books Ireland
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"Frighteningly prescient … New You For Ever is a scorching gripping dystopian thriller which asks difficult questions about our planet’s direction of travel and comes up with some thought-provoking answers … a true chiller-thriller sci-fi for young teens, empowering them to explore and question the main pitfalls facing the future world." – Yorkshire Evening Post
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"Thrilling, thought-provoking and terrifying, New You For Ever is Black Mirror for teens, a truly gripping story I wanted to last for ever!" – Chris Bradford
User Reviews
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Details
- Author
- Steve Cole
- Narrator
- Charlie Bateman
- Duration
- 1 hour 49 minutes
- Release Date
- 15 January 2026
- ISBN
- 9780008801021
- Format
- x-book®
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Genre
- Children’s / Teenage fiction and true stories, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Speculative, dystopian and utopian fiction, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Science fiction, Children’s / Teenage social topics: Environment, sustainability and green issues, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Action and adventure stories, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Thrillers / suspense
Synopsis
Can you save the world by living for ever? Anders uncovers the sinister truth about Pleekas in this gripping dystopian thriller from award-winning author Steve Cole. The year is 2070, and the New You Foundation claim to have found the ultimate answer to the climate crisis. They want human beings to transform themselves into Pleekas – perfect artificial replicas. Pleekas can go on for ever but won’t create waste or use the Earth's resources. Too good to be true? When a chance meeting leads young journalist Anders Jones to the sinister truth, he must risk everything to expose New You – if it’s not already too late … Particularly suitable for readers aged 11+ with a reading age of 8.
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