'This is a fascinating book exploring linguistic variation in young people and how they make meaning in their own social contexts. It is fascinating in its own right for anyone interested in language and grammar. But, for me, its real significance is the insight it offers to how standard and non-standard variations are equally capable of communicating rich meanings, and the challenge it poses to current orthodoxies about standard English. For educational policymakers and practitioners, the book illustrates clearly the risks of language policies which sustain and perpetuate social inequalities.' Debra Myhill, Professor Emerita of Language and Literacy Education