Bugs and Jez have been best mates since they were little kids, but this year they are turning sixteen and in year 12 at school. Both have difficult home lives and the introduction of a rich new girl, Charmaine (who Bugs dubs Stone Cold), complicates matters. The pressure is on them all to decide what they are going to do in the future, and the statistics on how poorly Maori are doing just add more stress.

I assumed that Bugs was a boy - until I reached page 27 and there was a bra involved! But I really liked that Bugs could have been either. This story is fantastic - the author has totally captured the essence of teenager-hood - highly recommended. ( )