The Boy With Big Decisions

It’s getting harder than ever to tear children away from screens. With entire virtual worlds tucked inside headsets and video games, kids can build, explore, and control universes at the flick of a button. Interactivity has always appealed to young minds—just think of how children of the ’80s and ’90s devoured Choose Your Own Adventure books, delighting in the power to slay dragons or befriend them with a simple turn of the page.

Today, however, controlling fantasy realms is no longer novel. Children can battle dragons and wizards before breakfast, only to be whisked back to a routine where their real-world choices are increasingly limited. Many parents today are more hands-on than past generations, often making everyday decisions on behalf of their kids.

Sheffield author Helen Rutter wants to help shift that dynamic. Her latest book, The Boy With Big Decisions, empowers children to explore real-life choices without real-life consequences.

“It’s exciting—he might get in trouble, but it might also make him happy.”

“I read the Choose Your Own Adventure stories when I was younger,” she says. “But I never really liked fantasy. I loved books about real life, real problems, and characters I could relate to.”

Rutter’s book is a refreshing blend of reality and interactivity, ideal for fans of Judy Blume or Jacqueline Wilson. (In fact, diehard Jacqueline Wilson readers might remember Helen from her acting debut as Ruby in Double Act.) The Boy With Big Decisions follows Fred, a boy whose parents always tell him what to do. On his first day at a new school, he faces a major choice: should he go to the strict Gains School, as his parents expect, or take a leap and attend the party, unconventional Browtree?

“When I read the book to children, they always send him to Browtree!” Helen laughs. “It’s exciting—he might get in trouble, but it might also make him happy.”

Rutter hopes the book encourages kids to think about their own decisions, building independence and confidence in a playful, low-stakes way.

Her writing career was inspired by her son, who had a stammer. “He was a massive bookworm, but I didn’t see his experience represented in books. So I wrote one.” That book became her debut novel, The Boy Who Made Everyone Laugh, a heartwarming, hilarious story about a young comedian navigating life with a stammer.

While her son inspired her first book, her latest read reflects a broader concern: the growing number of children glued to screens.

“Gaming is so addictive because it’s exciting, and kids are in control. And there’s nothing wrong with that—it brings joy and engagement,” she says. “But the balance is off. I wanted to create something that gives children a similar sense of control and interactivity while helping them think about real-life choices.”

“Children who read for pleasure do better in every subject. Their options in life become broader.”

Rutter designed her book to be accessible, even for reluctant readers. “It’s a relatively short read. Kids can finish one story strand quickly and hopefully come back to explore other paths. I’m hoping it can compete—even just a little—with the interactivity that screens offer.”

And a lot is riding on that hope. Reading for pleasure among children is in decline, and educators are already seeing the effects. A 2018 Oxford University Press survey found that 69% of primary and 60% of secondary school teachers reported an increase in vocabulary deficiencies among students, issues often linked to reduced reading for pleasure. These deficiencies can affect literacy, comprehension, and academic performance across the board.

“Children who read for pleasure do better in every subject. Their options in life become broader,” Helen says. “But it’s not just about school. Reading lets children experience lives and worlds beyond their own. It builds empathy. It stretches their imaginations. Without it, their world becomes smaller.”

That’s why she’s excited about The Boy With Big Decisions. “It feels like something different—something that might reach kids who wouldn’t normally pick up a book.”

The Boy With Big Decisions is already a Top 5 children’s bestseller—and this week’s No. 1 in children’s fiction. Available now for £7.99 from Scholastic.