Hachette provides comprehensive global distribution services in the following territories:
Dropping Beats
Contributors
Formats and Prices
- On Sale
- Feb 11, 2025
- Page Count
- 288 pages
- Publisher
- Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
- ISBN-13
- 9780316576994
Price
$9.99Price
$12.99 CADFormat
Format:
- ebook $9.99 $12.99 CAD
- Hardcover $19.99 $25.99 CAD
- Audiobook Download (Unabridged) $18.99
- Trade Paperback $12.99 $16.99 CAD
Buy from Other Retailers:
—Jon Scieszka, First National Ambassador of Young People's Literature and Founder of Guys Read
A hilarious and heartfelt young YA comedy about the misadventures of an aspiring young rapper as he navigates school, family, and friendship.
Thirteen-year-old Growls (aka Shaun) is an aspiring (awful) rapper who hopes to enter this year’s Raptology competition with his best friend, Shanks (aka Zachariah). After all, what better way to land his crush (Tanisha) and get the respect he finally deserves than winning the contest and going viral?
But when a livestream practice goes epically wrong, the two friends do go viral– and not in the way they’d hoped.
Now the laughingstock of the school, Growls is sure he’ll never have another chance to date Tanisha. Even worse, Shanks has gone MIA, leaving him terribly alone.
But when Growls meets the new girl on the block (Siobhan), things don’t seem so terrible after all. And with some patience, a little luck, and a whole lot of practice, he just might win the Raptology competition and be a hero to both Siobhan and Shanks.
Either way, he’s ready for this. He’s steady for this. It’s comeback season and they call him comeback king for a reason.
-
Winner of the 2024 Branford Boase Award
Shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal
Shortlisted for the Jhalak prize
A Kirkus Best Books of 2025 list pick -
"Funny, bursting with heart, goofy, wise, and did I mention– wildly wonderfully funny."Jon Scieszka, First National Ambassador of Young People's Literature and Founder of Guys Read
-
“Hilarious and heartwarming, it's impossible not to love Growls and his raw, uplifting way of seeing the world. Deftly written and an incredible debut, DROPPING BEATS is pure joy and laughter.”Beth Reekles, author of THE KISSING BOOTH
-
* “Growls’s lyrics and clever wordplay are woven throughout… Famous or not, the star of the story shines in this must-have for all YA collections.”SLJ, starred review
-
“This romp is carried by both Lessore’s knack for situational comedy and ability to create a narrative voice for Shaun that uniquely mixes braggadocio, cluelessness, and an honest desire to do good. The inclusion of class consciousness and mental health…deepen the story, making Shaun’s plight all the more relatable and hilarious.”Booklist
-
"Utilizing the protagonist’s immediate-feeling first-person POV, debut author Lessore crafts a hilarious look into one teen’s struggles to reach for the proverbial stars…. the inclusion of Growls’s beatbox poems throughout allows readers a glimpse into his intimate thoughts and deep internality as an artist and adolescent, highlighting that Growls is more than his goofy outward persona."Publishers Weekly
-
"This well-written story explores relevant topics including social media, mental health, being a caretaker, and the importance of believing in yourself. A hilarious, witty story centered on embracing your quirks and the importance of friendship."Kirkus
You May Also Like
About the Author
Nathanael Lessore was born in Camberwell, South London, as one of eight children to French and Madagascan parents. His first novel, Dropping Beats (Steady for This in the UK), won the Branford Boase Award and was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal.
Peek the Audiobook
From NOVL Nation
“I was not expecting this book to be so wholesome. Growls’s connection to his family and best friends is incredibly sweet and felt like a hug.”
–Ardent, @ardent.bookcooks
“This book provided me with a great time. I often found myself laughing uncontrollably at the weird things that Growls says and the not so bright decisions that he thinks are works of art.”
– Ashlee, @the.book.nerds.corner
“This book did a great job of depicting the funny, yet somewhat ridiculous mind of a young teen. I laughed throughout.”
–Christina, @misscaramelfrappuccino8
#DroppingBeatsBook
On the blog
Newsletter Signup
By clicking ‘Sign Up,’ I acknowledge that I have read and agree to Hachette Book Group’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Use