Greg is the odd one out at home - he doesn't like computers and isn't a brain like the rest of the family. He's bored at school and misunderstood at home.
When Greg stumbles upon Brad, a mechanic who works on and drives rally cards, Greg suddenly finds his niche. Against his father’s wishes a bond forms between Brad and Greg, and as the two work together to win on the circuit Greg grows in confidence in his chosen sport. The family must come to realise the strength in each of its members ...no matter what that strength might be.
With her youthful voice and wonderfully light touch coupled with strong storylines, Fleur has proven she knows her audience well. Slide the Corner was Fleur's first novel, and it has gone on to win the Gaelyn Gordon Award for a Much-loved Book - an award that recognises the ongoing success of this novel.
Awards
Winner of Gaelyn Gordon Award for a Much-Loved Book 2007
Behind The Book…
I’m an unlikely person to write a book about a boy who wants to be a rally driver. I get very carsick. I’m not a car person. I’d be terrified to go in a rally car. But when Tim, my late husband, started co- driving with his friend Dave I got intrigued by the stories of what happened on the rallies they competed in. I thought that if I found the stories fascinating, then maybe others would too. So, with a lot of input and help from Tim, I wrote Slide the Corner.
- Fleur Beale
Reviews For Slide The Corner
Another winner from Fleur Beale. An excellent book for boys, especially car rally fans. Here is poor Greg in a family of brains who isn't good at academic school work, but is good with engines and motors and cars. His parents go ballistic at the idea of him taking automotive classes or working in a garage after school. The good thing about Beale's novels is that whilst her MCs do succeed they do it through hard work and thinking and growing up. Greg slowly and surely works things out for himself. There is no magic wand, Greg has to do it all for himself. Problems with his parents, school and life in general are realistic and young readers will recognise the situations. It's good read, well written, and would work well as a family read aloud book.
- Lindsay, GoodReads
I love this book! It's quintessential Fleur Beale, and I get so much from it even though I'm the opposite in every way to its main character. Highly recommended, I've read it so many times.
- Jess, GoodReads
“Slide the Corner” is about achieving dreams, winning friends and influencing people until they know that accepting individual differences makes not only happy families but the a richer community. “Petrol-heads” in Middle School and in Years 9 and 10 will enjoy this book. Fleur Beale is a New Zealand author whose understanding of teenagers’ relationships with parents assures affinity with the characters in her books.
- Gayle Davidson, 350 Words Or Less
A coming of age novel about a 16 year old boy with academically successful siblings who learns to stand up for himself. He realizes that he will never win his parents approval by trying to be the person they want him to be and fulfill their dreams for him, and has the courage to go against their wishes and be himself. This eventually leads to their change of heart and appreciation of his talents. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I am not into cars or rallying, so those tags are misleading. This book is well written and grabbed me from the beginning. I was angry at the stupidity of the so-called intelligent parents who wanted their child to be just like them. They change as Greg's siblings join with him in pointing out that he is not them, but a unique individual with his own unique talents. An excellent read for all ages, not just teens
- Library Thing