ALA Booklist

Bully has been sleeping rough and begging for change on the London streets for a few months now. After his mum died, he decided to live by his own rules, but street life is painful and difficult, especially on the days when thugs like Janks come around. His only comfort is his dog, Jack, a scruffy but loyal mutt, and a birthday card in which his mum recorded a voice greeting. By happenstance, Bully discovers a winning lottery ticket shoved into the battery compartment of the card. Stunned and with only days to cash in, he seeks a friendly face with whom to share his joy d some of his winnings exchange for help. Instead what he finds is a citywide manhunt with his lottery ticket as the target. The British voice is strong and, while it may be difficult for some readers, plants the book squarely within its setting. This first novel is grim and brutal, yet still offers a sliver of hope for Bully and his future.

Horn Book (Sat Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2017)

Homeless on the streets of London, twelve-year-old Bully survives with his dog, Jack. His discovery of a lottery ticket worth millions sets off a desperate chain of events. As Bully struggles to collect the winnings he is too young to legally claim, others scheme to steal them. Byrne's complex portrait of Bully--clever and rough, independent and angry--propels the story.

School Library Journal (Mon Feb 01 00:00:00 CST 2016)

Gr 5-8 An intriguing tale of survival and perseverance that will appeal to fans of Gary Paulsen's Hatchet and Jerry Spinelli's Maniac Magee . Twelve-year-old Bully lost his mum to cancer and was never accepted by her live-in boyfriend, Phil. Taking only his loyal canine companion, Jack, Bully would rather be homeless than share an apartment with Phil, his new girlfriend, his stepsister Cortnie, and the new baby. Bully learns the ways of the streets quickly. He forages for food through dumpsters or steals. The glimpses of the urban British streets have a Dickensian vibe. The last connection he has to his mum is a birthday card with her recorded voice. One day, he discovers a lottery ticket that he had forgotten about, which just happens to contain the winning numbers for a huge jackpot. Unfortunately, Bully makes the poor decision to tell one of his fellow homeless friends about his good fortune. This leads to a harrowing chase through the streets of gritty London with potentially devastating results. Bully isn't always a likable character. He has a selfish outlook on life, though readers will come to appreciate that this is out of necessity and for survival. Several poignant memories will strike emotional chords, and kids will develop a clearer understanding of the plight of the homeless through the eyes of Bully. His attempts to survive on the streets are hard to comprehend but very realistic. His efforts to reach out to others are clumsy yet touching. VERDICT A stirring, adrenaline-laced tale of endurance that will resonate with young bibliophiles. Julie Shatterly, W. A. Bess Elementary School, Gastonia, NC

Voice of Youth Advocates

Bully has been living on the streets of London ever since his mum died. His street name comes from his Staffordshire bull terrier who helps keep him safe. She is scary looking, well trained, and loyal. Besides his dog, Bully's most prized possession is the last birthday card his mum gave him, with her voice on a recorded message. When he discovers a winning lottery ticket tucked behind the battery with only five more days left to be claimed, Bully is desperate to get his winnings. Being under age and having no receipt, he must find an adult he can trust and a way to get to the lottery headquarters in order to make his claim. Of course, word gets out on the street, and all the wrong half of London is eager to wrest the winning ticket away from Bully by any means necessary.A well-written, suspenseful page-turner with a surprising amount of depth, this is a gritty story of homelessness, betrayal, and dog fighting. The violence and language are realistic for life on the streets. However, Bully is only twelve years old. His concerns for family and belonging, as well as his unrealistic ideas of how money will miraculously change his circumstances, suit his age. The grittiness versus Bully's age may make it difficult to get the right reader to pick up the book. Readers, especially boys, who enjoy time-ticking tales of survival will be glued to the page if they can overlook Bully's age enough to get hooked.Elizabeth Matson.