At the Speed of Gus

Meet the compelling, charismatic 13-year-old Augustus Constantine, a boy whose mind (and mouth) operate at a different speed than the rest of society. Gus has ADHD, and he’s on medication to help him focus. Misuse of his medication is a recipe for disaster. At the Speed of Gus takes readers through a frenetic, twist-filled day that is the result of that misuse.

When we first meet Gus, he’s putting his own special spin on morning announcements, much to the chagrin of school secretary Miss Funn (who’s anything but) and Principal Gorby (who’s getting tired of Gus’s endless jokes and unfiltered stream of consciousness). After being suspended for three days as a result of these antics, Gus takes up his sister’s invitation to take the ferry to Vancouver Island and meet at her college. Once on the ferry, Gus’s thoughts begin to race. He’s having trouble concentrating and can’t calm down. The ride gets wilder and wilder, and the reader follows along at the speed of Gus’s brain, until it’s hard to tell what’s real from what’s imagined.

A cautionary and sympathetic tale, with loads of insight and smart humour, this new novel from middle-grade master Richard Scrimger will reach so many kids who need to see that their brains are a gift, even when (sometimes especially when) they don’t stay in the same lines as others.

RICHARD SCRIMGER has written more than twenty books for children and adults, including Zomboy and Downside Up, many of which have won or been nominated for major awards and been published internationally. His novel Irresistible is part of the Almost Epic Squad series. Richard is also a popular presenter in schools. His latest novel, a collaboration with Melanie Florence, is Autumn Bird and the Runaway. Richard lives in Toronto, Ontario. Visit him at http://www.scrimger.ca/.

• IBBY Canada, Outstanding Books for Young People with DisabilitiesShort-listed 2025
• Manitoba Young Readers' Choice Award, Northern LightsShort-listed 2025
• Manitoba Young Readers' Choice Award, Northern LightsShort-listed 2025