Buddy - Nigel Hinton (Book)

Title: Buddy

Author: Nigel Hinton

Date Published: July 1982

Publisher: J.M. Dent & Sons Ltd (original); Penguin Books (current UK publisher)

Category: Teenage Fiction / Coming-of-Age

Buddy is a poignant coming-of-age novel that follows 13-year-old Buddy Clark as he navigates the challenges of adolescence in 1980s England. Living in poverty with a father who is an aging rocker involved in petty crime, Buddy faces neglect, bullying at school, and the complexities of friendship and family.

When his mother leaves, Buddy is left to forge a strained relationship with his father, only to discover deeper secrets that test his loyalty and morality. The story delves into themes of racism, juvenile delinquency, and child neglect, offering a realistic portrayal of a young boy’s struggle to find his place in a troubled world.

The novel was adapted into a television series in 1986 and is widely used in British and Irish secondary schools as part of the curriculum.