James Goodhand talks toxic masculinity in Man Down

This post is sponsored by Penguin Books UK.

Young Adult books have become more diverse in recent years, expanding from just having female protagonists and coming-of-age stories that talk about first crushes and kisses. Nowadays, with the readership growing, YA books often tackle heavier topics ranging from racism to mental health issues.

Penguin Platform picked Man Down by James Goodhand as their April book club selection and it is such an important story. Man Down follows Will as he slowly forgoes the comfort in shying from conflicts and begins to confront what the society has taught about being a tough man. With the #MeToo movement creating many conversations about the power of speaking up, a dialogue about toxic masculinity is long overdue.

Penguin Platform recently hosted a livestream with James Goodhand, where he discussed everything about writing about this issue from a male perspective. 

After watching the livestream, give this short quiz a try to see how much you know about James’ YA journey and his book recommendations.

Grab a copy of Man Down here if you haven’t already and check out our quiz after reading the book. You can also join our giveaway for your chance to win a signed copy of Man Down and an Instax mini 40 here.

We will start reading Ghosted by Emily Barr as it is the May Penguin Platform book club pick. Remember to join the Penguin Platform Discord if you want to chat with fellow readers about Man Down, or Ghosted, or just about anything!