A review by mat_tobin
The Climbers by Keith Gray

4.0

Sully lives in a small village where very little goes on; something that I suspect many teenagers bemoan. For 15-year-old Sully, the world is gradually changing too. His best friend, Mish is working hard at school now because she wants to leave for University and his other friends are a little tired of Sully's arrogant attitude. For there's something he's the best at in the village and that's climbing the trees in the park: the only thing that entertains the locals. So when another boy with a scarred face turns up going under the name Nottingham and claims he's a better climber, Sully's world is uprooted a little more.

This short story is more than teenage rivalry. There's a clever message here about the foundations of our identity, the complexity of trying to fit in and find a space in a very small world and make a name for yourself. That sense of looking in rather than looking out is powerful here as the trees as a symbol of power, respect and a chance to escape is well done. A fine YA book with plenty to discuss.