Review: Charlie and Me 421 Miles from Home by Mark Lowery

Charlie 421

I absolutely loved this book, narrated in the first person by Martin Tompkins, aged 13 and interspersed with his astonishing poetry. From the opening poem “Leaping Dolphin”, which is cleverly printed on paper which resembles a school exercise book, you know that you are in for a very special story.

Marty tells us that his younger brother, Charlie, isn’t like ordinary kids. We are shown this on the opening page with Charlie talking about the laser in his belly button, and Marty using Charlie’s made-up number for one more than infinity (a charillion)! Amongst the interesting phrases that Marty uses to describe Charlie are:

“Can’t do anything for himself, or concentrate for more than two seconds” and “brain’s inside out, no understanding of danger.”

We soon find out that Charlie was a miracle baby, who survived a very premature birth and has subsequently suffered a multitude of health problems. However, Marty reassures us that Charlie is his “absolute best mate in the whole entire world” and it is clear from the way that Marty anticipates his little brother’s needs as they set out on their epic train journey, that he is a deeply caring older sibling.

The boys have sneaked out of home, early on a Saturday morning to embark on a train expedition to the seaside town where they enjoyed an idyllic holiday the previous summer. It is obvious from the outset that Marty has planned the adventure in meticulous detail, but something is amiss. He becomes extremely flustered when he gets to the front of the ticket queue and has to speak to the sales assistant, and he reacts very nervously whenever a police officer is encountered during the journey.

As the train progresses from Preston towards Cornwall, the story alternates between Marty’s struggles to contain Charlie’s excitement (described vividly as being like a puppy filled with blue Smarties and Lemon Fanta) and poignant reminiscence of last summer’s holiday; in particular Charlie’s obsession with the dolphin that visits the little harbour each day. En route Marty encounters unexpected kindness from a scary-looking fellow passenger as he battles traumatic events. Multiple references are made to the omni-special-leftover-from-Christmas biscuit tin that Marty is carrying in his backpack, which he promises Charlie that he won’t open until they reach St Bernards. Adult readers will guess the contents of the tin quite early in the story, but for younger readers the revelation will probably cause quite a shock.

I do not want to give away any more of the story, but encourage you to read this heartfelt story of two extraordinary brothers. It is definitely a book to add to the “read-for-empathy” list in a school library, but I would caution that an adult needs to read it and be aware of the children to whom they recommend it. I found it to be a beautifully written, uplifting and at points utterly hilarious tale of sibling love, but a box of tissues is required too. This is the first book that I have read by Mark Lowery, but I will definitely be looking out for more of his stories.

Review: Louisiana’s Way Home by Kate DiCamillo

louisiana way home

This is a first person narrative, told in the original and quirky voice of 12 year-old Louisiana Elefante as she writes her story in a notebook, just in case anyone is wondering what happened to her. It is written in an interesting style, of short sentences and short chapters which leave you almost as breathless as Louisiana when her lungs get “swampy”.

It starts with her setting off on a 3am road trip with her Granny, heading to Georgia from Florida in order to outrun the “sundering curse” which is on the heads of their family. The adventure starts to go wrong from the start as they run out of petrol and then Granny is struck by terrible toothache. Louisiana’s recount of her exploits as she takes the wheel of the car to drive her Granny to the nearest town in search of a dentist is quite hilarious. It becomes apparent as they reach town, that Granny and Louisiana live by their wits, and Granny is not the most trustworthy individual.

I don’t want to give any plot spoilers, but there is quite a shocking plot twist about half-way through the book. Louisiana reacts by writing the following in her notebook:

“But here is the thing: it did not feel to me like the earth was moving infinitesimally. It felt like it was hurtling and jerking its way through a lonely darkness.”

Fortunately, Louisiana has met a local boy called Burke Allen, someone so kind that “if you ask him for something he will give you two.” While Louisiana is questioning who she is, Burke is the son of Burke Allen and the grandson of Burke Allen. He and his family are completely certain of who they are, and they represent absolute kindness. Along with the Reverend Obertask they teach the eponymous heroine that “we all at some point have to decide who we want to be in this world.”

I really enjoyed this story, it is the first book by Kate DiCamillo that I have read and I can see why she is a prize winning author, the interesting writing style was utterly believable as the thoughts of a 12 year-old trying to find her place in the world. The plot twist that I mentioned earlier could upset younger readers; this book should probably be shared with an adult with whom the story can be discussed. An interesting story for mature readers of 10 and above.

Review: The Fox Girl and The White Gazelle by Victoria Williamson

This is the most wonderful story of survival, courage, and a developing friendship between two very different girls, set in a run-down housing estate in Glasgow. The story is told in short chapters, alternating between the voices of Caylin and Reema, and occasionally interspersed with the poetic thoughts of an injured mother fox and she desperately seeks to raise and protect her cubs. This interesting structure only increased the majestic beauty of this book for me, with the fox seeming to be a metaphor for Caylin and Reema’s search for “home”.

When you first meet Caylin Todd at the start of the book, she seems to be the most unsympathetic character imaginable as she plots, and then carries out, an ambush on a classmate to steal her birthday money. However, you soon learn that Caylin’s single mum has become an alcoholic, following the death of Caylin’s grandfather, and with the benefits payment being consumed by vodka, Caylin must either steal or starve. The descriptions of Caylin’s chaotic homelife are so realistically heartbreaking, and her terror that she will be separated from her mum if anyone should find out, force you to be sympathetic towards her.

Reema is also from a broken family. In her case she has had to flee from her comfortable, middle-class life in Aleppo and has arrived in Glasgow, with part of her family as a refugee. She is struggling to overcome trauma, homesickness, the disappearance of her beloved older brother and the sight of her once strong father confined to a wheelchair following a poison gas attack, when she is re-housed in the same block of flats as Caylin.

The two girls take an instant dislike to each other, Reema is horrified when she spots Caylin shop-lifting and Caylin dislikes the feeling that she is being judged by the new girl. However, as both girls are moved by the plight of an injured mother fox, hiding out behind the bins, and a shared talent for running, a hesitant friendship begins to develop. Can Caylin open herself up to trust, and can Reema overcome her homesickness for Syria and embrace her new surroundings? You will have to read this incredible story to find out.

I loved many aspects of this book. Firstly, Victoria Williamson is an astonishingly good writer, her descriptions of the struggles faced by the two protagonists take you right inside their hopes and fears and open your eyes to the very difficult lives that so many children face. Woven over the “issues” is a terrific story of a developing friendship, and by the final chapters I was on the edge of my seat and breathless to find out how the various strands of the narrative would end. I think that the story of Caylin and Reema will stay with me for a long time. Finally, I read that 20% of the author royalties for this novel will be donated to the Scottish Refugee Council, so not only are you buying a great book, but you are helping those less fortunate than yourself too. I would rate this book as a “must-have” for all Upper KS2 classrooms, school libraries and read-for-empathy lists.

If you love this book, why not try The Boy at the Back of the Class?

Review: Ghost by Jason Reynolds

I had seen some Twitter love for this book and added it to my “want to read” list without any urgency to move it into pole position, but then it was selected as the #PrimarySchoolBookClub choice! What a great decision, as it made me rush out and get a copy.

Ghost, real name Castle Cranshaw, is a teenager who spends a lot of time alone and bored whilst his single mother works long hours at the hospital to support them. He is constantly in trouble at school, where he feels an outcast in his non-label clothes and outfits which are always too big as his mum needs to buy him things he won’t outgrow too quickly. He walks home from school in slow-motion each day as the prospect of being alone in the apartment, with its harrowing memories is not an appealing prospect. The highlights of his journeys are the daily interaction with Mr Charles in the neighbourhood store where he stops to buy sunflower seeds to snack on, and watching people working out through the windows of the gym. One afternoon Ghost’s eye is caught by an athletics practice taking place on the running track at his local park… a coincidence that could change his life.

Ghost learnt to run the night his drunken father decided to shoot at him and his mother and has natural, raw talent which is spotted by “Coach” when, despite wearing jeans and badly fitting basketball boots he takes on the star sprinter! After that dash down the track Ghost becomes a member of a group for the first time in his life and knuckles down to the training regime imposed by Coach. He gradually learns to trust the other “newbies” Lu, Sunny and Patty and realises that everyone has their own issues to confront. However, membership of the team is based on trust, good behaviour and discipline at school … can Ghost fight the rage inside himself, keep out of trouble and earn himself a place in the Defenders Athletics squad?

Given it’s storyline, it comes as no surprise to find that this is a fast paced story, with short chapters which most readers will want to race through as quickly as possible. But if you can pace yourself through the book you will be rewarded with a remarkable story of a young person finding out what is important in life. In the words of Coach, the story will:

“Show you that you can’t run away from who you are, but what you can do is run toward who you want to be.”

I loved this book. The author, Jason Reynolds, has conjured up a hugely sympathetic character for whom I found myself rooting from the opening chapter. Yes, he makes some mistakes in his behaviour, but he learns from the consequences and you fully understand the background issues which lead to that behaviour. The relationship between Ghost and the store owner Mr Charles is beautifully written, and the “father figure” roles played by both Mr Charles and Coach make you realise how important it is for adults to support the dreams of young people. Ghost’s love and respect for his mother is graphically highlighted when he begs Coach not to tell her about his big mistake. All of these themes are covered with the lightest of touches by Jason Reynolds, and are wrapped up in a thoroughly enjoyable story.

Although the book would be an easy read for anyone of 9 and above, it does touch on issues of gun violence, domestic abuse, poverty and even a reference to drugs, so I would advise younger readers to read it alongside an adult with whom they can discuss these issues. The publishers, Knights Of should be congratulated for their mission to publish books that appeal to every kind of reader, and I am very much looking forward to reading the next in the “Run” series by Jason Reynolds. Finally I must mention the glorious cover art by Selom Sunu which only adds to the appeal of this winner of a book.

If you loved this, why not try Holes by Louis Sachar next?

Blog Tour Review and Author Q&A: The Cosmic Atlas of Alfie Fleet by Martin Howard, illustrated by Chris Mould

cosmicatlas

Today I am delighted to be taking my turn on the blog tour for this hilarious intergalactic adventure and publishing a Q & A with author Martin Howard.

How far would you go to raise enough money to buy your mum a birthday present? Would you take a madcap caper to the most obscure corners of the universe (the Black Gates of Howling Oblivion, anyone?) to make your dear mother happy on her special day?

Alfie Fleet is poor, very poor. This is the result of his Dad “stealing his mum’s heart and then her credit card, before running off with that Julie from number sixteen.” His mum now works long shifts gutting fish in a local factory and he is desperate to raise £49.99 to buy her the perfect birthday present: a Sole Sensation 6000 foot spa!. Alfie can’t believe his luck when he spots a classified ad offering exactly this sum for one day’s work!

Hours later he finds himself in a dilapidated, house in an obscure, forgotten London square, filled with curious artefacts and maps showing places that had never featured in any of his geography lessons, in the company of Professor Pewsley Bowell-Mouvemont. The Professor informs Alfie that he is in the Headquarters of the Unusual Cartography Club. Things get weirder when they descend to the underground cavern which contains a reduced-sized version of Stonehenge, not realising that this inter-galactic transportation device is activated, Alfie steps between two stones and his adventures begin!

If you are looking for adventure, alien creatures, jokes and peril at every turn then join Alfie and the Professor as they embark on a fact checking mission before the updated edition of the Cosmic Atlas can be sent to the printers. Admire Alfie’s additions to the Atlas as he amends it with travel guide annotations and restaurant reviews – I can’t wait to book dinner at The Dead Crow with its menu for the food-lover with a taste for danger! The first stop is the planet Outlandish where Alfie causes the sort of accident that illustrates why boys of his age are not supposed to have jobs!

Can Alfie and the Professor avoid being sacrificed and manage to return to earth in time for Mrs Fleet’s birthday? What horrors will they encounter in the city of Verminium? How will a girl called Derek and a Knight called Sir Brenda help in their quest to discover an alternative stone circle? You will need to read this side-splitting adventure to find out!

This story is like a mash up of Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator and a junior version of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. The wry, authorial asides to the reader and the universal translating device were very reminiscent of HGTTG, and I can imagine that quotes from this book will be endlessly repeated in the playground in much the same way that my teenaged peers used to quote Douglas Adams (many years ago). I read a proof copy which had not yet been illustrated, but had placeholders for plenty of half and full page illustrations throughout. It did contain one full page map of Outlandish which had all the details you could possibly wish for (I adore books with maps). Based on this and the super cover art by Chris Mould, I imagine that the finished book will be hugely visually appealing. Underneath all the jokes and dynamic plot I admired the way the author, Martin Howard, captured Alfie’s sharp-witted personality and his determination to value the Professor’s legacy but also update it for the modern age.

I recommend this book to everyone aged 8 and over and I sincerely hope that there will be a follow up adventure and that the Cosmic Atlas will be sent to the printers, as I would love a copy!

Thank you to OUP Children’s for sending me a proof copy to review and to Martin Howard and Emma Howard for allowing me to participate in the blog tour for this mind-blowing adventure. Extra special thanks to Martin for kindly answering my questions about his new book and his writing career in general.

Q & A with Martin Howard

Q: I thoroughly enjoyed The Cosmic Atlas of Alfie Fleet and wondered what inspired it? If I had to describe it to someone I would say it was like an MG version of The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, is this a book you loved as a teenager?

A: First, can I quickly say thank you for having me. This is my first ever blog tour and the amount of support and generosity from book blogs like yours has been gob-smacking. It’s a delight to be here and I very much appreciate the opportunity to waffle on about myself!

I did love The Hitchhiker’s Guide as a teen (and still do!) but it wasn’t something I had in mind when I started writing. The original idea started about fifteen years ago. I’ve always loved exploring the maps in fantasy books and in a moment of inspiration it came to me that a travel guide would be the obvious next step. It was originally intended to be a Travel Guide to Fairyland for younger children but that didn’t really suit me as a writer so I scrapped it. The idea refused to die though and when I had the idea for an intergalactic map-making society called the Unusual Cartography Club, about three years ago, including a travel guide aspect seemed like a good idea. Of course, I was aware it would make people think of The Hitchhiker’s Guide (I’ve even added a tiny tribute to it in the book), plus any funny book about space travel is always going to be compared, but I hope The Cosmic Atlas is very different.

Q: I love your main character, the quick-thinking, kind-hearted Alfie Fleet, is he based on anyone you know?

A: Alfie is a lot like my son, Sam, who constantly makes me laugh. Like Alfie he has a very good sense of humour and is very quick-witted. Alfie’s also a little like me at that age. I, too, had odd-looking knees and loved fantasy books. We’re quite a kind-hearted family, so that’s probably where Alfie’s kindness comes from.

Q: In my proof copy there are lots of place holders for pictures; who decides whether to illustrate a book, how many pictures will be included and where they should be inserted? Is it you or your publisher? Additionally, who chooses the illustrator?

A: I’ve been a big fan of Chris Mould since I first saw his artwork, and always had him in mind as the perfect illustrator for The Cosmic Atlas. Luckily, when Oxford University Press decided to publish it they agreed. I was over the moon! Obviously, he’s very well-known and in demand so I consider myself very lucky to be working with him. The publisher decides how many illustrations will be included and what to illustrate is pretty much a group decision though, obviously, Chris took the lead on what the illustrations would look like.

Q: I am hoping that this is the first book in a series; have you already planned what Alfie, the Professor, Derek and Sir Brenda will do next?

A: In fact, I’ve just finished writing the second book. I don’t want to give anything away but Alfie, Derek and the Professor are about to get visitors from the Unusual Cartography Club’s past. If people like the books (fingers crossed) I’ve got plenty more plans, and not just for Alfie and the gang. Wigless Square is surrounded by odd buildings that are home to some very strange secret societies …

Q: Are there any plans to publish The Cosmic Atlas? I imagine it would be very popular with primary school children who love to gather round an illustrated atlas.

A: None at the moment, but never say never! It’s the first book in the series so it’s early days. If people enjoy Alfie’s adventures I’d also like to go back to my original idea and make Lonely Planet type travel guides for different planets. I imagine a travel guide to Nerwong-Nerwong Plinky-Plonk could be very funny.

Q: What were your favourite childhood books and what would you recommend to a primary school child who says they don’t like reading?

A: I loved fantasy when I was young, and my favourite books were Ursula K. le Guin’s Earthsea trilogy, Susan Cooper’s The Dark is Rising, the Narnia books and the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings. I also adored PG Wodehouse’s Jeeves and Wooster books. Terry Pratchett’s Discworld books started coming out when I was about fourteen and I instantly fell in love with those, too. Funny books are a great way to win the hearts of children who are reluctant to read and I’d hugely recommend Andy Stanton’s Mr Gum books, the Wimpy Kid series, and anything by Jonathan Meres or Ben Davis, who are both hilarious.

Q: Have you always been a writer or did you have other jobs first? What inspired you to write children’s books? And why did you change from non-fiction to fiction writing?

A: Because I was badly bullied at school I couldn’t wait to leave. I started work as a paste-up artist in London (a job that no longer exists, it’s all done on computers now), then went back to university to study English when I was twenty-two. I had a lot of weird jobs when I was a student, selling ice-cream at the Dominion Theatre dressed as a clown, cleaning the toilets in a hospital for old people … the list goes on. After I got my degree I started work in publishing as an assistant editor in a non-fiction publishing company and worked my way up. I’ve wanted to write for as long as I can remember, but it’s a difficult way to make a living, especially when you have a young family to look after. Luckily, I have an amazingly supportive wife who encouraged me to follow my dreams. I quit my job and we moved to France so I could write. I’ve been writing children’s books ever since but I’d often write non-fiction, too. There’s a long tradition of authors putting their hand to different types of writing that stretches back to Dr Samuel Johnson (one of my heroes), and I enjoy that kind of work. It teaches you to research properly and present ideas in an interesting way. I think it’s made me a better writer. Children’s fiction is always where my heart has been though. It gives you the opportunity to be as inventive, imaginative and funny as you can possibly be! There’s a special kind of magic about children’s books, and I know how much they meant to me when I was a child. If I can give any young person the same sense of wonder and adventure I found in books at their age, I’m a very happy writer indeed.

Q: How do you plan a book? This one seems very visual – do you sketch pictures or see pictures in your head as you write?

A: Other people have said my writing is quite visual, and I think that’s just my style. I do have a movie running in my head as I write but I don’t plan books in great detail because I think it’s important that stories and characters are allowed to develop on their own rather than sticking to a plan. There’s always an outline of where they’re going but this often changes during the writing process, and I’ll happily scrap chapters, storylines or even whole books if I don’t think they’re working. I once spent an entire year writing a book that no one has ever seen.

Q: It strikes me that The Cosmic Atlas of Alfie Fleet would make a fantastic animated film/TV series are there any plans for this?

A: As I’m writing this it hasn’t even been published so no, not yet! I have got a couple of other books going through the development process though and it’s always nice when film companies are interested in your work!

Q: Will you be appearing at any children’s books festivals this year, or do you have a signing tour arranged for anywhere in the UK?

A: I’m doing my first ever school visits around the time The Cosmic Atlas is released and hope to do more throughout the spring and summer. Chris and I also plan to do something together later in the year but you’ll have to watch this space …

Q: I was seriously impressed by the amount of luggage that the Professor managed to attach to Betsy the scooter, have you ever embarked on an epic journey on an unconventional form of transport?

A: Any car journey with three young children in the back seat quickly becomes an unconventional form of transport! Between emptying sick-bags, toilet stops and breaking up arguments it’s amazing you ever get anywhere. My most epic journey was around the South West of the United States by car, which was amazing, and I once rode an elephant in Thailand, but I’d love to travel more. I especially like the idea of long train journeys.

Q: And finally… have you ever stayed at, or eaten at, a country inn which provided the inspiration for “The Dead Crow”?

A: I think anyone who lives in Britain would recognise The Dead Crow! We’ve all stepped into a small pub where a few locals drink and wished we hadn’t. In my experience though, once you’ve had a drink or two everyone is usually friendly and I’ve certainly never had to deal with villainous hairdresser scum!

Well, you’ve read the reviews, you’ve read the guest posts, you’ve read the Q&As, you might have been lucky enough to have had a visit from Martin to your school last week – now read the book, you’ll be laughing all the way across the cosmos!

The Skylarks’ War by Hilary McKay

the skylarks war

Hilary McKay is unparalleled in her ability to create an intimate domestic setting and populate it with thoroughly believable characters. At the heart of this novel, which begins in the early 1900s, is Clarissa (Clarry) Penrose who is only 3 days old when her mother dies. Her father declares this to be “a blasted nuisance” and from this point he becomes a cold,distant figure in the lives of Clarry and her older brother, Peter.

Despite growing up feeling the weight of responsibility that her birth caused so much misery she is a cheerful, bright girl who “hums and skips”. Her brother Peter recognises that their father takes no interest in Clarry and does his homework with her to educate her. He tutors her for the entrance exam to grammar school and initiates all paperwork so that their father has to allow her to attend once a place has been offered to her.

The lives of the Penrose children in their cold, loveless house are made bearable by their annual summer holiday visits to their grandparents’ idyllic home in Cornwall. Just like the skylarks, they arrive every summer to enjoy the golden weeks of sunshine, knowing that they will be met at the station by their adored older cousin Rupert. He has been abandoned to boarding school and the care of his grandparents by his parents who are stationed in India, not an uncommon fate in Edwardian times. Rupert is golden, charming and recklessly kind.

However, all is overshadowed by WWI. Rupert who has always hated school,decides to rebel against the family plan to send him to Oxford and signs up as soon as possible. His letters to Clarry and Peter are full of cheerful optimism but as the story proceeds the horror of the trenches along the Western Front becomes clear and Rupert’s numbing of his personality is heartbreaking to read.

This novel is beautifully written, few writers describe and bring to life domestic drama with the skill of Hilary McKay. As an adult reader I fully appreciated the atmosphere of gloom and sadness that permeates Clarry’s childhood, and also the sense of liberation that the dreadful War provided for young women. I think that this book will appeal to mature readers in Year 6 as well as KS3 children. There is a wealth of period detail, historical fact and compellingly brilliant writing to appreciate in this novel which combines the broad sweep of history with its impact on a particular family.

Clockwork by Philip Pullman, illustrated by Peter Bailey

clockwork

If you are looking for a spooky short-story which is plotted with the precision of a Swiss watch, then this is the book for you!

The story begins in an inn, in a small town in Germany in the days when clockwork was the precision engineering of choice. On a dark, snow swept night a cast of characters has gathered for food, company and to hear the latest tale from Fritz, the local storyteller, renowned for his ghost stories. Philip Pullman describes the scene with such exquisite detail that you can smell the spicy sausages, feel chilled to the bone as the inn door opens and detect the hairs on the back of your neck standing to attention as the tale of Prince Otto and his son Florian commences.

What follows is a marvellous gothic fairy-tale featuring Karl the lazy apprentice clockmaker; the sinister Dr Kalmenius, reputed to be “the cleverest man in Europe”, Sir Ironsoul, a lethal clockwork knight and kind-hearted Gretel, the innkeeper’s daughter.

The narrative ticks on as relentlessly as the second hand on the town clock, bringing each character in the story to their appointed final position. As it unwinds the reader will discover the importance of a warm, kind heart and that all actions have their consequences.

This particular edition of the book is beautifully illustrated throughout with black and white drawings by Peter Bailey which add greatly to the classic fairy-tale feel of the story. I also love the author’s comments which accompany the illustrations; Philip Pullman is the absolute master of his craft. Recommended for Key Stage 2, although if you are easily scared, wait until you are in Year 5 or 6 before reading.