15 Days Without a Head

Life’s not easy for 15-year-old Laurence Roach: his mother’s a barely-functioning alcoholic who works two jobs to scrape by; his six-year-old brother, Jay, acts like a dog; and Laurence is responsible for taking care of them both, which is exhausting. Laurence puts his hope in winning a lavish vacation by participating in a radio trivia contest, pretending to be his long-dead father. When Laurence’s mother doesn’t come home one day, he goes to desperate lengths to keep anyone from noticing that he and his brother are alone. But how long can he juggle responsibilities amid the lies and schemes? In his first novel (originally published in 2012 in the U.K.), British author Cousins offers a compelling story of Laurence’s struggles, with the darker subject matter balanced out by humorous undertones (such as Laurence’s ill-advised cross-dressing efforts at one point). There are no easy answers, only a sympathetic and painfully realistic look at how alcoholism affects families, set against Laurence’s semi-comical, semi-tragic escapades. Ages 12–up. Agent: Sarah Manson, Sarah Manson Literary Agency. (May)