Spare a thought for Gary Shackleton, a meek and mild school leaver with a violent father and a mother who won't speak. He lacks confidence and fears exclusion, and tries to conform in a world that frowns on being different. Lonely, victimised and depressed, with no vision of the future, he seeks sanctuary in a neighbour's garden shed. His troubles seem insurmountable; will he ever manage the transition from adolescence to adulthood? There is one glimmer of hope - a recently discovered grandfather who may offer solutions to his troubles. But his grandfather's health is failing and he may not stay the course. This is a story of self-discovery in a challenging environment; of personal growth in difficult circumstances. It is the story of an ordinary boy looking for a place in a complex, hostile world. Spare a Thought for Gary Shackleton is the second novel from Yorkshire-born author Martin Andrews. The timeline and events in this book overlap the storyline in Not Being Kids, his well-received first publication.