Book Description
for Biggest Fake in the Universe by Johan Rundberg
From Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
Movits Lind, who goes by Mo (pronounced “moo”), lives in a suburb of Stockholm with his parents and sisters (white). He has a guinea pig, Domino, who does tricks, and a best friend named Ruben. He loves to play chess and cook up unique dishes. While joining Ruben at a local skate ramp to watch Ruben’s older brother perform, Mo is instantly smitted by a talented skater girl. His feelings make him feel physical ill—it’s his first time being attracted to a girl—so he seeks the advice of his older neighbor and confidant, a brash, funny woman named Ingbritt. Ingbritt has a new boyfriend on the weekly and informs Mo on the power of love. Mo’s solution is to take up skateboarding to try to meet up with his crush, Bea. After a few bumpy lessons, Mo finds himself at a parking ramp with a bunch of experienced skaters, including Bea. As they take turns skating down the long ramp, Mo accidentally performs a series of moves that almost gets him injured but instead seems like an intentional and impressive feat. Captured on video, it instantly goes viral, turning Mo into an overnight skating celebrity. Mo has major imposter syndrome … but on the other hand, he also has Bea’s attention. When he’s asked to demonstrate his moves on TV, his simple desire to meet a girl backfires spectacularly. The over-the-top plot is kept on the rails with credible characters, wry humor, and a satisfying conclusion.
CCBC Choices 2026. © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin – Madison, 2026. Used with permission.

