Spud - Learning to Fly: The novel continues the hilarious coming-of-age diary of John “Spud” Milton, a teenage boy attending a prestigious South African boarding school.

About This Book

Spud: Learning to Fly is the third book in the popular Spud series by South African author John van de Ruit. Set in the early 1990s, the novel continues the hilarious coming-of-age diary of John “Spud” Milton, a teenage boy attending a prestigious South African boarding school.

Now older and slightly wiser, Spud enters his third year at school facing new challenges — friendships are evolving, romantic interests are becoming more complicated, and the pressures of growing up are impossible to ignore. With his trademark awkwardness and sharp sense of humor, Spud navigates school life, eccentric teachers, outrageous dormitory antics, and the chaos of adolescence.

At the same time, South Africa itself is changing rapidly as the country moves toward the end of apartheid. Through Spud’s honest and often hilarious diary entries, readers experience a mix of teenage confusion, humor, and heartfelt moments as he slowly begins to understand who he is and where he belongs.

Packed with wit, memorable characters, and laugh-out-loud situations, Spud: Learning to Fly captures the awkwardness and excitement of growing up while continuing the beloved story of one of South Africa’s most famous fictional schoolboys.