Through my eyes series. Allen & Unwin, 2015. ISBN
9781743312544
(Age: 11+) Highly recommended. Syria, Dictatorship. When Zafir and
his family move back to Syria, Zafir has little idea of what life
will be like. He has been brought up in Dubai where he has mixed
with a range of other kids his age from all countries of the world.
He has been allowed to do things he wishes to do: talk openly about
politics, use Facebook and a mobile phone without restriction, see
the people he wants to see and so on, but when his father accepts a
job in the hospital at Homs, his life changes dramatically. Here
there are secrets, secrets he has little idea about, secrets when
shared must be kept under wraps. His uncle seems to have more
liberal views but again no one must know. His mother uses email, but
only through a secret address and she has ideas about freedoms which
too must never be discussed. His one friend at school, Rami also has
secrets, and Zafir thinks it may have something to do with why the
other boys call him names. When he finds out he must make a choice
between his friend and the gang that pursues him. But one day he and
his mother go to Damascus to see his uncle, without telling their
father and here they see a brave few demonstrate against the
government and see their uncle beaten and taken away by the police.
The secrets have come out into the open and Zafir and his family are
caught in the backlash when after a demonstration in Homs, his
father helps a young man who has been shot by the police.
Another in the fine series, Through my eyes, sees Zafir at the
centre of the story, a twelve year old Syrian boy exposed to a
different lifestyle, seeing his own country's dark heart.
Through his eyes we see the terror under which many people live, the
role of the state police and the cruel way some are treated. We see
the more liberal minded striving for freedoms we take for granted in
the West, and what happens to them when they call for change.
A timeline of Syria's history fills in some of the background to the
novel, and can be found at the end of the book, along with a
dictionary of the Arabic words found in the text and information
about the other books in the series. A map at the start of the book
helps readers place where the story is set. This is a most readable
and engaging book about a country we hear little of. It could well
be used as a class set, as with any of this fine series, or a study
where the class selects one of the Through My Eyes series to
read in a group.
Fran Knight
All fall down by Ally Carter
An Embassy Row novel. Scholastic, 2015. ISBN: 9781743628942
(Age: 13+) Highly recommended.
'The scar that is very real.
The scar that is perfectly clear.
The scar that has haunted my dreams every night since the moment my
mother died - from the moment the Scarred Man killed her.'
Grace Blakely is a 16 year old girl. A 16 year old girl, who three
years ago, witnessed the murder of her mother. Or so she says. No
one believes her and they become even more skeptical when she claims
to see him in the state of Adria. Everyone tells her that her
mother's death was an accident, but Grace knows the truth. And she
will do everything she can to catch the man behind it - the Scarred
Man.
I would recommend this book to teenage girls, 13 and over. Boys who
enjoy some action stories about friendship would also like this
book.
Ally Carter is an inspiring author who knows how to portray the
characters' emotions and feelings. Another Embassy Row Novel
is due to come out soon and I am sure it will be just as interesting
as the first one.
Jazmin Humphries (Student, Year 7)
Writing Clementine by Kate Gordon
Allen & Unwin, 2014. ISBN 9781743316634
(Age: Yr 7+) Recommended. Clementine Darcy's year 9 philosophy class
isn't turning out to be what she expected. The teacher asks the
students to simply write, whilst Clementine is hoping for answers to
the big questions of life and wants to know 'Why am I here?' As she
writes, she reflects upon her own life which isn't quite going in
the direction she has hoped for either. Her friends want to change
her to be more like them, her brother Fergus continues to lock
himself in his room, failing to communicate with his family, her
sister has her own issues, and Clem realises that life is far from
perfect. As her story unravels through her journaling, Clementine
continues to be true to herself and constantly endeavours to make
life better for the people for whom she cares. Her meeting with a
seemingly odd new boy in class causes her to question certain
aspects of her own life and the way in which she behaves in certain
situations. Will she be able to turn things around to mend her
family and its problems?
Reading this book was a truly refreshing experience. Clementine is a
delightfully strong and quirky female protagonist, confident enough
not to change her style or interests to satisfy her friends, willing
to accept the quirky Fred and his friends, breaking away from the
strict guidelines her friends try to impose on her and teaching
others in the process. Touching on serious issues of bullying,
anorexia and mental illness, but all handled with a dose of
sensitivity and humour, this will be added to my list of recommended
reads for students in Year 7 and above.
Jo Schenkel
The book with no pictures by B. J. Novak
Puffin, 2014. ISBN 9780141361789
(Age: 4+) Well, you all know it goes. You hear so much hype about a
book (or a movie, or a theatrical show blah blah blah) that you
almost convince yourself that either you won't like it or it will be
completely lame.
And, to be honest, that's pretty much how it was with this book. I'd
had posts on Facebook and seen comments in email lists but it was
all so full on that I kind of let it wash over me.
Then I got this in the post last week to review. Read it - hmmmm,
laughing to myself - that was unexpected. Tonight, I read it to
Small who giggled so much I was a little concerned she would give
herself indigestion.
This is a very clever though seemingly simple book. Hands up, all of
you who love to read aloud - with expression, with verve, with silly
voices, with laughter - with engagement. You will not... cannot
go wrong with this one.
I believe this read-aloud is not confined to younger children. I
think I could read this to Upper Primary and have them still get the
giggles.
I have a favourite fridge magnet (friends stand and 'read' my fridge
because of the magnets)... it say's 'Take time every day to be
silly'. This book will prove the easiest way to be silly ever and
the kids with whom you share it will relish every single bit of
kookiness.
If you have not yet encountered it - do yourself a favour - and most
definitely put it on your shelves, in the library or at home, for
children and those who relish humour, from around 4 upwards.
See for yourself here.
Sue Warren
The Internet is like a puddle by Shona Innes
Ill. by Irisz Agocs. Big Hug series. Five Mile Press, 2015.
ISBN 9781760064167
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Internet, Safety. Discussing the dangers that
lurk behind using the internet is one of those discussions that is
hard to initiate and even more difficult to explain. Here with The
internet is like a puddle, the opportunity is given to
teachers and parents to introduce such a topic with young children.
A clinical and forensic psychologist, Shona Innes has had many years
of experience with young children and has developed in her book a
way of involving both child and adult in presenting this theme.
The first few pages talk of the positive things the internet offers,
giving the parent and child or teacher and a class the opportunity
to look at the range offered by the internet, including the uses
made of it in class or at home. Some of the devices which allow us
to get into the internet are alluded to, and the games and
information which can be accessed are stressed. She makes it clear
that the internet is fun and can absorb a lot of time, but then goes
on to explain that the internet is like a puddle, and uses that
simile to underline the dangers that lurk there. Initially she talks
about the time spent on the internet, and extols the virtues of
being outside, of talking with friends, of exercise. She then talks
of getting further into the internet to places that are not safe,
that could show things unsuitable or entice the user to chat to
strangers.
The solution to not falling into the puddle is being with someone
who is safe, like an adult. The safety issue is stressed towards the
end of the book, and without making it an overwhelmingly didactic,
is made clear that this is the best way to have fun with the
internet.
The illustrations add to the interest of the book with animals used
as the main characters, and the soft swirly watercolour making it
easy on the eye. Children will laugh out loud at the animals as they
have some problems with the mud and deep water of the puddles but
will also understand the image presented of a child being overcome
by the unknown depth of the internet.
The ideas presented by Innes are clear and unequivocal. She leads
the reader through the positives then introduces the negative
aspects of this technology with reassurance.
This is a fascinating introductory book for class and home, allowing
communication between adult and child on an issue of increasing
importance.
Fran Knight
The playground is like the jungle by Shona Innes
Ill. by Irisz Agocs. Big Hug series. Five Mile Press, 2015. ISBN
9781760064150
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Playground, Safety. Clinical and forensic
psychologist Shona Innes has taken on the topic of safety in the
playground at school or in the community, to help parents and
teachers initiate discussions between themselves and students or
offspring about the behaviour they will come across when socialising
in these places. With funny and apt watercolour illustrations, Agocs
parallels the information given, using animals as the focus of the
story. Younger children will be enchanted seeing the animals and the
behaviour they display and will be able to act this out for
themselves, or discuss the sorts of animals they see in their
playground.
Innes begins by showing what a fun place the playground can be with
all sorts of people coming to it and displaying all sorts of
behaviour. She parallels the wide variety of people with the animals
in the jungle. So a baboon may bang his chest wanting to be noticed,
a snake may pretend to be a friend one minute, then slither away, a
tiger may be aggressive, and little insects annoying. Some will want
to be alone, while others might want to be with friends, some may
put on a happy face while others avoid those who make them
uncomfortable.
Then we get to the crux of the story that if another animal makes
them feel uncomfortable, then they can seek the company of others,
or ask an adult to be with them, or yell loudly, or simply avoid the
person who makes them fell ill at ease.
Much discussion will come of sharing this book with younger readers,
all of whom will have come across the sorts of behaviours shown in
this book.
At the end of the book Innes outlines her reasons for writing this
book, as with the others in the series, The internet is like a
puddle, Life is like the wind and Friendship is
like a seesaw, all of which deal with specific issues that can
engulf younger children.
Fran Knight Editor's note: Teacher's
notes are available on the author's website.
Talking about tricky stuff with kids by Shona Innes
For more than 25 years now, I have had been in the privileged
position of listening to the very private worries and concerns of
many children. It is indeed a pretty special and sacred
position to be in and I am always grateful for the opportunity. From
that special spot with young people, I have been privy to their
inner most thoughts, how they perceive themselves and others, and
the things that they truly value.
When you take some time to understand how each child views the
World, there's a moment where you can start to see the patterns of
their feelings and their emotional 'logic'. Once you have
found that moment or place, you can help a child to unwind the
tangled experiences and interpretations so that they can deal with,
accept or begin to change their emotional situation. To unwind
it, means you have to have a shared explanation. You need
something that the child can 'get' and understand.
When your client is a child, there is also a need to advocate for
them within the various systems that they belong. To do this you
need to be able to help their support team, (their families, their
carers, their teachers, their welfare workers, their treating
psychologists, their doctors, and their special people) to share
that same special understanding. After each session with a young
person, I usually write them a letter. By writing and sharing the
concepts discussed during the sessions, I hope to reinforce what the
child and I have learned together and do so in a way that they can
share with their support team.
Young children cannot always understand a metaphor the first time
around so it requires repeated simple links via words and
pictures. I look for metaphors that all ages can understand so
that the child can communicate about complex situations in simple
ways with the people who know them best. In talking about life (and
death), I wanted to base it on something that you know is there, but
can't really touch . . . the wind. For dealing with the internet,
I wanted something that could be fun if played with carefully, but
could also have some slippery spots that need supervision and
help . . . a puddle. For the others in the playground, I wanted
a whole heap of metaphors to describe all the different types of
personalities that mingle there . . . jungle creatures. The ups
and downs of friendship were always going to be a seesaw. The
next two in the Big Hug series are much more intimate and have been
written for children when their might be trouble in their families
or in the family of someone they know.
The human brain is very complex. There are lots of pathways
that a thought or experience can take in a young brain. If a
thought or experience has been laid down in childhood, then it needs
a child friendly way of mapping it so it can be traversed.
Finding a shared pathway can take the 'ickiness' or 'nagging' out of
some tricky concepts and allow a child and their special people a
way to work and talk together.
Ride, Ricardo, ride! by Phil Cummings
Ill. Shane Devries. Omnibus, 2015. ISBN 9781742990736
(Age: 5+) Highly recommended. War. Village life. Hope. Ricardo lives
in a small mountain village in Italy, within a close community. His
father teaches him to ride his bike and he can often be seen riding
through the village, past the old men talking in the streets, past
the workers in the fields and the happy, chasing children. But one
day shadows appear. The village, once open and friendly, now has
closed windows and doors as the noise increases and the sound of
boots becomes louder. Father and Ricardo take apart the bike and
hide its parts. The shadows remain, and one day his father
disappears. The shadows eventually leave and the village returns to
its old self, with singing and dancing, although some of its people
are missing. Ricardo retrieves the pieces of his bike and puts it
back together, because he knows his father would have wanted it that
way. He has grown, the war is over and the memory of his father's
words ring in his ears as he rides his bike once again through the
village.
This wonderful book extolls the persistence of the human spirit, the
perseverance of humanity in overcoming the worst of times to look
forward to a brighter future. The shadows are never articulated, but
they are there, their consequences tangible with the death of
Ricardo's father, the community's fear, with the illustrations
showing the smashed photograph and the bombed buildings.
I love the way Cummings replicates situations, as the end parallels
the beginning with someone calling out, Ride, Ricardo, ride,
underlining again the continuation of life.
And Devries' illustrations are absorbing, with his all-seeing eye
approach, looking down upon so many scenes, making the reader a
spectator, someone spying on this wonderful little community. His
invading force casts long shadows across the pages, the village and
the inhabitants, as well as Ricardo and his bike. Devries uses milky
brown colours to great effect, with little colour showing through on
the pages where the shadows appear, but small touches of colour
underscore the end of war where blue sky appears once again.
Little touches by Devries made me catch my breath. Watch out for the
wonderful image of the kitchen, the shadows of the planes overhead,
and the image of mother comforting Ricardo amongst others.
At a time when more and more picture books about war cross my desk,
this stands out in its depiction of the effect of war upon children
while through it all, life persists.
Fran Knight
My Gallipoli by Ruth Starke and Robert Hannaford
Working Title Press, 2015. ISBN 9781921504761
(Age: 9+) Recommended. World War One. Gallipoli. Anzac Day.
Memories. Picture book for older readers. From the old style binding
to the haunting portraits on the front cover, this impressive book
will stand out amongst the books on World War One leading up to the
centenary of Anzac Day. This one is different for many reasons.
Using charcoal outlines filled with water-colour and gouache to
present his images, the stunning illustrations by highly regarded
South Australian artist, Robert Hannaford, will make readers stop
and look, peering into the faces of the people brought by
happenstance to this lonely beach in the Dardenelles in 1915. The
Turks above are fighting for their homeland, the men below told to
take the hills at all costs. The stalemate that became a legend is
revealed here with Hannaford's illustrations drawn from surprising
angles, and showing aspects of war not usually seen: the wounded
ferried across to the ships, the dead buried then reburied, the
exhaustion in the trenches, the Turks firing down upon the enemy.
And each page is filled with sympathy, these men could be someone
you know, as Hannaford uses his portraiture skills to great effect,
making each face recognisably different in the sweep of protagonists
on that shore. Their courage and tenacity is there for the readers
to wonder at. Hannaford's different approach is replicated with
Starke's text.
Each page presents Gallipoli from a different perspective. Starke
gives an outstanding range of points of view that include all
protagonists, all calling Gallipoli, 'my' Gallipoli or Gelibolu,
underlining the fact that this place, held in such high esteem by
Australians is also respected by the many other nations which sent
their men there.
From the shepherd on his beach, to the soldiers landing in the
middle of the night and those who did not make it to shore, to the
nurse, Ellen, on the hospital ship, to the Turks looking down, to
the Gurkha rifleman Tul, the sniper Harry, the Turkish commander
Mustafa Kemal, Badhur with the Indian Mule Company, Jack in hospital
waiting to go home to Australia, the Wellington Brigade storming the
hill, Cyril with the Grave Registration Unit and George Lambert,
Australian War Artist, and finally to the many who now go back to
pay their respects, this is their Gallipoli. And is forever 'my'
Gallipoli.
For a class looking at the men who fought at Gallipoli, along with
the women who nursed them on the nearby islands, this is a must to
have ready for your students. Not only does it hone in on specific
stories, it makes the reader aware of the range of people for whom
Gallipoli is a significant part of their story. Starke has used
people's words to write a chronological account of the eight months
spent there, and augments these stories with information at the back
of the book. Students could use the book to fill out those stories,
to write their own accounts, to marvel at the significance of this
place in our history, to further research those that Starke has
presented, to look more closely at other nations for whom this place
is significant, and look closely at the way Hannaford has given
these stories a distinctive face.
I can imagine students gathering information about specific people,
gathering other picture books for older readers and comparing them
with this one, deciding how each author and illustrator combination
has set about their task and discussing the impact each makes. It
certainly packs a punch.
Fran Knight
The Anzac puppy by Peter Millett and Trish Bowles
Scholastic, 2015. ISBN 9781775430971
(Age: 6+) Recommended. War. Anzac. Animals. When Lucy's dog has a
pup, she calls it Freda, but the family cannot afford to keep her,
so Lucy sits with her outside their home until someone comes along
to claim her. That person is Sam, a young man going off to war, and
he takes Freda with him as a lucky mascot.
This moving story of Anzac, based on the true story of the mascot
Freda of the NZ Rifle Brigade, will tug at people's heart strings as
they read of the bond between man and dog, of the relationship they
had over the grueling years of the war, of the men who died along
the way.
In this fiction tale, the dog and his master return to New Zealand
there to meet up again with Lucy and the three share a bond which
ends in becoming a family.
The real dog returned to England and ended her days in Staffordshire
where a small headstone marks her grave. As part of the 100th
commemoration of World War one, her original headstone was placed in
the Army Museum in New Zealand, with her collar inscribed with
Freda.
With so many books about Anzac published at the moment, this makes a
different story to present to a class or reader. It shows the
theatre of war with pen and watercolour images designed to inform
and engross the reader, and presents in spare prose the outline of
the story. A double page at the end reprises the real tale of Fred
and readers will enjoy seeing how the story has been augmented for a
children's book.
In the classroom a group of picture books could be used to
pinpoint where all are set, widening the children's idea of where
the war was fought.
Fran Knight
Eat the sky, drink the ocean, edited by Kirsty Murray, Payal Dhar and Anita Roy
Allen & Unwin, 2015. ISBN 9781743319789
(Age: 12+) Recommended. Short Stories, Fantasy. When in 2012, two
appalling crimes against women were perpetrated, one in India where
a woman was raped and murdered in a bus and the other in Melbourne
where a woman was raped and killed walking home, the idea for this
anthology extolling the ambitions and dreams of women was born. A
partnership between writers in India and Australia was promoted,
resulting in pairs of authors working together to produce
speculative fiction, with women grasping the world with both hands,
ensuring that they take big chunks out of that pie in the sky.
As a result this anthology published by Allen & Unwin with
funding from the Australia Council, presents ten short stories, six
graphic stories and one play script.
Each story is unique, fascinating and playful.
In a classroom, they could be used as a study of short stories, a
study of speculative fiction, a model for students' work, and a
jumping off board for reading other works by the authors appearing.
Trying to choose just a few to talk about is almost impossible, as I
enjoyed them all. A graphic story by Nicki Greenberg, Back-stage
pass has a journalist interviewing Ophelia before her curtain
call. The questioner asks the girl why she was written that way, why
she killed herself and why she didn't have more to say for herself.
Questions countless students ponder when studying Hamlet.
Nicki's recognisable graphic style stands out. I can imagine readers
going off on a tangent with this one, postulating Ophelia's story
for themselves. But this applies to so many of the tales in this
book.
In Little red suit, Justine Larbalestier puts Little Red
Riding Hood into a dystopian future where people live in a
bubble, protected from the outside world. But Poppy is desperate to
visit her grandmother's house and comes across a wolf.
Anita Roy's Cooking time postulates a very future Master Chef
where Mandy has another agenda in becoming a contestant. Cast out by Sahmta Rani is very confronting beginning with a
girl being whipped and removed form her village but finding a place
where women come together. Weft by Alyssa Brugman has a girl sell a kidney to receive
enough credits to buy someone's hair, but in getting the hair
entwined with hers, begins to think about the person who sold her
hair.
Each story offers something different, and at the end of the book
are pieces from each author explaining their collaboration with
another, which adds another level of interest to the stories.
Fran Knight
Before After by Anne-Margot Ramstein and Matthias Aregui
Walker Books, 2014. ISBN 9781406357936
(Age: 6+) Highly recommended. This book is quite a beautiful package
of images, colours and ideas. The hardback copy resembles a box with
parchment-like pages meeting edge to edge with the cover.
It is a wordless picture book showing examples of before and after
images; situations and consequences of change. Simple images, in
matt-finished, muted shades add to the book's appeal and
originality. There is the real and the fantastical, along with the
whimsical, with each single image or double-page spread being open
to many interesting interpretations. Of particular note is the image
of the cave painting of a bull with a real bull outside the cave.
This is followed by a picture of an easel painting featuring a bull,
with one in the fields in real view. Coffee beans on a tree move to
a cup of coffee. There is a delightful sequence of an octopus to
ink, then bird to feather, then feather to typewriter, then pigeon
to letter.
Throughout this delightful book, there is potential for
conversations and storytelling; certainly an interesting educational
medium. Originally a French publication, this will be shared and
enjoyed by readers of any age.
Julie Wells
The Famous Five Annual 2015 by Enid Blyton
Hodder Children's Books, 2014. ISBN 9781444918816
(Age: 8+) Hachette/Hodder Publishers has produced this book in the
style of the original Enid Blyton annuals enjoyed by young readers
in the 1950 and 60s. There is a combination of original
illustrations, including those of Eileen Soper, and adaptations of
the Famous Five stories plus new material, which updates the whole
publishing concept.
Selected series by the author are to be reissued by Hodder with new
covers, so this Annual will be an enjoyable addition to the
collections of Enid Blyton enthusiasts.
This durable hardcover edition with good quality papers, largely
gloss finished, and with a fabulous concoction of information about
the Famous Five, cartoon strip features, puzzles, historical
material, stories and quizzes, introduces the young reader to what
an 'annual' is all about! There is the potential for some great
reading pastime.
Julie Wells
The Gathering of the Lost by Helen Lowe
Wall of Night series. Orbit Books, 2012. ISBN 9780356500577
(Age: Young adult/Adult) Highly recommended. Gathering of the
Lost is the second of Helen Lowe's four-book Wall of Night
fantasy series. Lowe loses none of her ability to weave her poetic
imagery into each page, as she links these first two narratives.
While retaining many familiar characters and introducing a host of
new figures, she manipulates the increasingly broad cast with ease.
Gathering of the Lost builds superbly on its predecessor The Heir of
Night.
Lowe skilfully takes her readers into Gray Lands and Wild Lands; and
speaks of the lands beyond the river and along the road to Ishnapur
and Jhaine... It has been five years since Malian, The Heir of Night
and her friend Kalan, were lost to the winter of Jaransor. Yet even
now, there remain those - perhaps friend, perhaps foe - who still
cannot believe Malian is dead...
Long ago The Earl of Night's minstrel, Haimyr the Golden, had
desired that Malian flee the Wall of Night. But now there is urgency
to find her. Believing the heralds Jehane Mor and Tarathan of Ar
have hidden Malian, Haimyr issues a summons for the Heralds to
return Malian to the Keep of Winds. The ever-astute Jehane Mor
senses a veiled threat however, and ponders why the minstrel should
now wish for Malian's return.
Soon there are more questions than answers. Much is happening - an
attack on the Guild, bloodshed during the Festival of Masks, and an
attack by the beast-men (were-hunters) for a start. Importantly, the
reader is introduced to Carick, a River scholar, who was unprepared
for bloodshed and warfare when he left the peaceable realms of Ar in
the Riverlands and became cartographer to the Duke of Emer. Then as
Jehane Mor invokes the dark sky during a wholesale attack by the
were-hunters, Carick stands with arms outstretched, listening to the
voice of the night-wind pleading him to hold with her, against the
might and power of the were-beasts.
While there are references to killing, Lowe's lyrical narrative
tempers the tone. As Lowe's cinematic composition unfolds, her
readers are treated to characters who are not always who they appear
to be, and Malian's whereabouts remain unclear. With inky creatures
here and mind-speak there, people morphing into beast-men, and
attempts to pursuade The Lost, it is easy to become absorbed in this
magical web of intrigue.
Like its predecessor, Gathering of the Lost is an
exceptionally well-crafted book, that builds seamlessly on its
predecessor. Highly recommended for young adult and adult readers of
fantasy.
Colleen Tuovinen
The Flywheel by Erin Gough
Hardie Grant Egmont, 2015. ISBN 9781742978178
(Age: 15+) Highly recommended.
'When life throws up in your lap, find yourself a distraction.'
This novel by an up and coming Australian author Erin Gough is a
well written and delightful story. The characters are cleverly
crafted to be truly believable. The action is well paced and the
complexities of the plot keep those pages turning.
This book is about relationships and the joy, heartbreak, misery and
contentment they generate. Delilah, a self-assured homosexual,
experiences young love, but suffers bullying at school. She is
fiercely loyal to her friends but must make a difficult decision
about the lengths to which she can take that loyalty.
'I can't believe I am sitting here. The chair is comfy, yes, but it
is the very chair I've been avoiding. It is the Comfy Chair of Doom.
Opposite me on her ergonomic swivel seat sits Mrs Croenberg.'
This is also the story of a relationship with school and a teacher
who just does not give up on Delilah. She is a teacher who helps
Delilah understand herself and provides an invitation back to
schooling.
'And in this moment I am happy. I don't what's around the corner but
it doesn't matter, because what I feel right now is enough.'
Very importantly, this is a story with a happy ending. The
complications are resolved and there is an optimistic air to life's
challenges. This book is highly recommended.
Linda Guthrie
