At the Speed of Gus By Richard Scrimger

A smartly funny and sympathetic story about being different and finding
your way.
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, twistfilled 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/.