New You For Ever

Can you save the world by living for ever? Anders uncovers the sinister truth about Pleekas in this gripping dystopian thriller from award-winning author Steve Cole.

The year is 2070, and the New You Foundation claim to have found the ultimate answer to the climate crisis. They want human beings to transform themselves into Pleekas – perfect artificial replicas. Pleekas can go on for ever but won’t create waste or use the Earth's resources.

Too good to be true?

When a chance meeting leads young journalist Anders Jones to the sinister truth, he must risk everything to expose New You – if it’s not already too late …

Particularly suitable for readers aged 11+ with a reading age of 8.

Reviews

"Cole's latest novel feels frighteningly pertinent. Will scientists one day be able to turn us into robots that do not break down or get ill? What does it mean to be human? These are all questions that children will be asking themselves in this era of robots and AI, and this is a heart-stoppingly gripping dystopian novel, perfectly pitched at readers aged 11+ who want a short, sharp thrill of a read." – The Bookseller, Children's Book of the Month

"A chilling dystopia that, in a world where human biohacking and AI are ever-encroaching on day-to-day life, feels uncanny and eerily possible." – Irish Examiner

"New You For Ever is a twisty, fast-paced dystopian novel that engages the reader from page one with its approachable, casual tone. The world Anders lives in is eerily familiar to today’s world, and the characters are so well drawn that readers will be rooting for Anders and his dad before the end of the first chapter. … Perfect for fans of science fiction or dystopian fiction or anyone who likes a page-turner that keeps you on the edge of your seat." — Children's Books Ireland

"Frighteningly prescient … New You For Ever is a scorching gripping dystopian thriller which asks difficult questions about our planet’s direction of travel and comes up with some thought-provoking answers … Pitched perfectly for the 11 plus age group, and taking in topics such as humanity, creativity, AI and abuse of corporate power, New You For Ever is a true chiller-thriller sci-fi for young teens, empowering them to explore and question the main pitfalls facing the future world." – Yorkshire Evening Post

"Especially suited to less confident 11+ year old readers, this outstanding novella deftly explores technology, identity and the environmental crises shaping Anders's world. It's ideal for discussion in KS3." – School Reading List

"Thrilling, thought-provoking and terrifying, New You For Ever is Black Mirror for teens, a truly gripping story I wanted to last for ever!" – Chris Bradford

About the author

Steve Cole is an internationally bestselling author who has written over 150 books and sold over 3 million copies. He has written Doctor Who fiction, succeeded Charlie Higson as the Young Bond author and worked with Ben Fogle on his Mr Dog series. His powerful middle-grade cli-fi novellas for Barrington Stoke include Drowning in My Bedroom, which won the 2024 Dudley Children’s Book Award: Short & Sweet Category.