Frankie Parsons is a worrier.
Are the smoke alarm batteries dead? Does the cat have worms? Could that odd-shaped spot on his chest be something more sinister than a freckle?
Most people are gloriously untroubled. Only his Ma listens patiently to his 10pm questions. However, Frankie’s carefully controlled world starts to unravel around him when school camp is on the horizon and he begins to question everything and everyone around him.
Frankie’s family all have their own differences that sometimes clash with his views on life and where he sees himself fitting in.
His best friend Gigs, the polar opposite to his linear stance, is a constant in his life and someone he relies on throughout. New to his school, Sydney, with her constant chatter, love for life and straight-talking questions befriends Frankie and he finds himself learning more about himself, the decisions he makes and those he lets in to his inner circle of trust amid the anxiety he constantly feels.
Kate De Goldi’s incredible The 10pm Question is a delve into what being twelve can be like for many. The world can be a scary and sometimes unwelcoming place to navigate but through friendships, courage and a huge dollop of love, there is hope.
Cover design and illustrations by Candlewick Press, reproduced with permission for this edition by Old Barn Books.
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