Mikey Baxter is a 14-year-old boy who suffered brain damage when he was a small boy.
A side-effect of the accident is ‘the backwards’ - the ability see into the past and witness events where he wasn't even present. The backwards constantly whispers at him and he is terrified of its moving shadows and the secrets which it holds. Mikey is desperately lonely and taunted by local children about his disability. He misses his mysteriously absent father and is thrilled when he is befriended by Ralph, an old friend of his dad’s . As Mikey gets to know Ralph he senses that something is not right and fears his new friend cannot be trusted. The only way he can learn the truth is to finally face the backwards and learn more about Ralph and what happened to his father.
The Night Sky in My Head is narrated by Mikey, and I felt he had a totally believable voice. The issues surrounding brain damage are fully explored but do not overwhelm the plot. A great book for KS3 and upwards, The Night Sky in My Head is a thrilling, moving read.
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