Against All Odds by Nathanael Lessore: World Book Day 2026

Against All Odds by Nathanael Lessore follows Noranto as he tries to make sense of who he is and what he wants. This World Book Day 2026 edition is presented as a funny, authentic story.

Key details

• Title: Against All Odds
• Author: Nathanael Lessore
• World Book Day 2026 edition

Synopsis

Noranto sees himself as a footballer and one of the boys, with the playground game under control and plans for his mum’s surprise birthday party at the weekend. Poetry is different: something he keeps to himself, turning lines over in his head on the bus and between goals.

When a teacher notices his talent and suggests a creative writing competition, he dismisses the idea, especially with only three days until the deadline and plenty already going on. Even so, the rhymes keep coming, and as the weekend brings new obstacles, he is pulled between what others expect and who he wants to be, as he considers whether he can find the words and the courage to share them.