Stealing Happy

Author Brian Conaghan
Narrator Brian Conaghan
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing
Publish Date 13 March 2025
Run Time 6 hours and 14 minutes
Format Audio
Genre Children’s / Teenage fiction: Family and home stories, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Friendship stories, Children’s / Teenage fiction: General fiction, Children’s / Teenage personal and social topics: Physical and mental health conditions.

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What to expect

Bloomsbury presents Stealing Happy, written and read by Brian Conaghan

Loan shark Chick Lennon is notorious around Sonny Gilmour's way, and not for anything good.

So when Sonny discovers his mum has borrowed money from Chick to pay the rent, he finds himself in need of the quickest of get-rich-quick schemes.

With the help of best mate Jonah and quiet genius Carolina Swift, he hatches a plot – to pay back what Mum owes using Chick's own ill-gotten gains. It's not a fool-proof plan, and it's not helped by Sonny's Tourette's making him blurt out 'ROB CHICK LENNON!' at the top of his lungs every time things get dicey.

But with his dad suffering from long Covid and his mum already struggling to cope, Sonny knows it's down to him to keep his family out of Chick's clutches ...

Critics Review

Conaghan, a beautiful writer who loves to surprise, takes this unlikely pair of cowboys on a road trip to the north of the country. And so Bruce becomes the father figure Lenny needs, Lenny the responsibility Bruce craves as their back stories get a slow reveal

The Times Children’s Book of the Week on CARDBOARD COWBOYS

Multi-award-winning Brian Conaghan specialises in misfits, characters on the edge looking in who will make you laugh out loud and shed a few tears … Warm-hearted and memorable, this should go to the top of your wishlist for school libraries and every child's bookshelf

LoveReading4Kids Book of the Month on CARDBOARD COWBOYS

An emotional rollercoaster of a book, written with so much heart it bounces off of the page … A bold, life-affirming read

Irish Independent on THE WEIGHT OF A THOUSAND FEATHERS

Beautifully observed and hilariously uncomfortable

Guardian on WHEN MR DOG BITES

With the feel of a modern-day classic, this book will make readers cry but is also hysterically funny and life-affirming

BookTrust Great Books Guide 2021 on CARDBOARD COWBOYS

There is nobody who can capture the authentic voice of young people growing up in a working class community quite like Brian Conaghan and this new novel is absolutely pitch perfect. … Sonny is yet another Conaghan character who will steal your heart and live long in your memory - Books for Keeps on STEALING HAPPY

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