Books

Six Weeks

An unforgettable new story from the award-winning author of The Final Year

Matt Goodfellow, Author

Joe Todd-Stanton, Illustrator

Paperback

Imprint: Starboard

Publication date: June 4, 2026

Category: Poetry

ISBN: 9781444982886

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‘Extraordinary … a slow, beautifully handled exploration of the past, grief and healing. Painful and authentic, it’s full of wisdom, hope and a resolution that will make you cry’ The Daily Mail
Utterly magnificient’ Liz Hyder
‘Matt Goodfellow’s best novel to date’ Sarah Crossan
‘Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant’ Phil Earle
‘Goodfellow has pulled off something astounding’ Anthony McGowan
All at once beautiful, tender, funny and sharp … a triumph’ Katya Balen

The hotly anticipated new book from award-winning writer Matt Goodfellow, author of bestselling The Final Year. Meet Alfie Piper, embarking on a summer he’ll never forget …

Alfie Piper has six weeks of summer – and nothing left to lose.

Since his mum died, Alfie’s world has unravelled. The silence between him and his stepdad roars louder than ever.

So he does the only thing that makes sense: grabs his bike, and rides.

In these long summer days, can Alfie rebuild what was broken?

Compulsively readable and beautifully-written, this is an unforgettable story of love and loss, family and hope. From Matt Goodfellow, winner of the CLiPPA Award – with breathtaking illustrations from Joe Todd-Stanton.

Reviews

Jaw droppingly good - perhaps one of the most emotionally powerful children's books of the past few years

Educate Magazine

A moving story told in verse about grief and family and love and loss

WRD Magazine

Six Weeks is a beautifully written verse novel...the illustrations throughout this book are thoughtfully drawn and evoke both the despair and the slow dawn beautifully

School Reading List

This extraordinary free-verse novel is a raw and almost overwhelming study of grief, love, family and hope. Alfie's complicated, fun-loving mum died a year ago and he refuses to see his cold stepdad (referred to as 'him'), living instead with his Dad, stepmum and their baby.
During a six-week summer holiday, angry, sad Alfie rides his bike into the hills that his mum loved, but when his bike breaks, he's forced to accept help from 'him' - the start of a slow, beautifully handled exploration of the past, grief and healing.
Painful and authentic, it's full of wisdom, hope and a resolution that will make you cry. I did.

The Daily Mail

This heartbreakingly poignant 11+ verse novel delicately traces the slow, non-linear processes of acceptance and healing, heightened by Todd-Stanton's shadowy, sweet black-and-white illustrations

The Guardian

This extraordinary free verse novel is a raw and almost overwhelming study of grief, love, family and hope...a slow, beautifully handled exploration of the past, grief and healing. Painful and authentic, it's full of wisdom, hope and a resolution that will make you cry. I did.

The Daily Mail

Beautifully handled, warm and wise

The Daily Mail

A poignant story

The Guardian - What We're Reading reader review

Matt Goodfellow

Matt Goodfellow was born in Withington, Manchester. He was a primary teacher in East Manchester for over 10 years.

Matt visits schools, libraries, conferences and festivals around the UK and beyond, inspiring children and adults to get involved with poetry through his performances and workshops. He’s worked with organisations including the Premier League, the National Literacy Trust, BookTrust, National Poetry Day, the Forward Arts Foundation and CLPE.

Matt has written poetry collections for a wide range of age groups. His debut verse novel The Final Year, illustrated by Joe Todd-Stanton, became an instant bestseller and has gone on to win and be shortlisted for many different awards including the CLiPPA, Carnegie, Branford Boase, and the FCBG Children’s Book Award.

Joe Todd-Stanton

Joe Todd-Stanton grew up in Brighton, where he was taught to draw by his mum. He went on to get a first-class degree in illustration from the University of the West of England and is now an author and illustrator of picture books and graphic novels. His first picture book The Secret of Black Rock won the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize and The Comet won the Yoto Carnegies Shadowers’ Choice Award. Joe lives in London.