After Life

Cycling home after school one day, Amber Crane notices a few things are different; however, nothing prepares her for the shock of her mother screaming in horror when she sees her. Amber should be dead. Victim of a hit-and-run seven years ago, her death sent shockwaves of grief through her family and friends, impacting even those who barely knew her. So how is it possible that she has returned- and why?

‘After Life’ is a very powerful and thought-provoking novel, exploring ideas around grief, love and how one person can affect others in varying ways.

Told from differing view points through shifting time frames, the story builds the picture of what happened to Amber, her relationships when alive and the aftermath of her death, exploring range of ways people respond to and cope with (or not) surviving someone they knew, particularly one so young. There is much to absorb here. Her parents’ relationship- a love-at-first-sight dream match- cannot withstand the loss of their child; nor can the close bond of her mother and aunt. The building of the back story here through the time shifts and differing viewpoints emphasises the weight of what is lost. Similarly, it allows the reader to learn that not all in Amber’s life was as she thought it was, meaning her loss is weighted with guilt and regret for others who knew her.

There is so much to this moving story, but one of the most powerful elements for me is how Amber’s sister, Melissa, has kept her relationship with her sister alive after death by continuing to have conversations with her, nurturing her love for her and finding comfort in this way.

A beautiful book- have tissues at the ready!

After Life

Gayle Forman

Hot Key ISBN: 978-1471418310

The Magician Next Door

Callie and her father have moved away from London, away from her friends, away from her memories. Struggling to settle into her new life in Northern Ireland, she is staring out of her window one night, unable to sleep, when a loud BOOM announces the arrival of an upside-down house in her back garden. When this disappears, Callie is convinced she has been seeing things until the arrival of a magical paper plane brings a message from Winnifred Potts, the magician linked to the house, who is in desperate need of help. She has lost her Wanderlust, the magic which charges everything in the house, protecting it from attack from magical creatures. Can Callie and her new friend, Sam, offer the help Winnifred and her house need?

‘The Magician Next Door’ is -as the title suggests- a story full of magic, imagination and adventure, but it is also about ‘home’, friendship and a sense of belonging.

Having moved for her father’s new job, Callie is overwhelmed by homesickness as well as the loss of her mother. The Rose Building where she lived in London offered not only a home, but a bustling community, with friends and neighbours where everyone knew each other and were like ‘one big extended family’. In the middle of the Mourne Mountains where she is now living, things seem the complete opposite. This sense of loss and longing is vividly conveyed and yet, Callie comes to realise that home really is where the heart is and that, although new friends and new experiences can never replace those we have lost or are missing, they certainly help you work through those emotions and offer hope for the future. Author, Rachel Chivers Khoo, has done a wonderful job of sensitively balancing Callie’s raw emotions with magic and adventure, so the story never feels swamped by these feelings.

The magical house with the turquoise roof and its special connection to Winnifred is a wonderful one and ‘Wanderlust’ is something which we all need a sprinkle of from time to time! The story also touches on the world of Irish folklore and the map at the front of the book is a copy of ‘Sam’s Seven Wonders of the Mourne Mountains’, the one which he gives to Callie, which shows the location of the Leprechaun Tunnel and Finn MacCool’s Rock amongst other things. The illustrations throughout capture the wonderfully quirky nature of the story perfectly, offering plenty of details to enjoy.

I hope there are more stories to come about Callie, Sam, Winnifred and her house as it seems to me that there are so many adventures which they could share! A great read.

The Magician Next Door

Rachel Chivers Khoo, illustrated by Alice McKinley

Walker Books ISBN: 978-1529507911

You can read my review of ‘The Wishkeeper’s Apprentice’ here.

Becoming Brave: A True Story of Love and Loss, Courage and Hope

A chance meeting results in love at first sight for Jennie and Abram. A worrier, Jennie falls in love with Abram’s fearlessness, the fact that he was never afraid to follow his heart. But when the worst happens and Jennie finds herself alone, will she be able to find her own courage?

‘Becoming Brave’ is a gentle, heart-warming story about love, grief and finding the courage to lively boldly. Poignant text is supported by moving illustrations which capture the highs and lows of Jennie and Abram’s relationship,

Jennie’s success in finding her courage when the worst had happened, in creating a passion from her tragedy, is a powerful message of hope, perfect for starting conversations and offering comfort in the face of adversity. By taking positive action, Jennie is able to move forwards with her life, never forgetting Abram, but helping others through the constant celebration of his life and love of music. The story recognises that it is possible to be happy and sad at the same time- a truly up-lifting story.

Becoming Brave: A True Story of Love and Loss, Courage and Hope

Jennie Cashman Wilson, illustrated by Tomekah George

Little Tiger ISBN: 978-1838914646

Chipping Norton Literary Festival: The Hare- Shaped Hole

Chipping Norton is a thriving market town in the Cotswolds which hosts an annual literary festival. Now in its tenth year, this festival has gone from strength to strength with events held in venues across the town. It is a wonderfully friendly occasion, staffed by volunteers, offering an excellent programme of writers, poets, public figures and creative people. The events I attended were at the ACE Centre Nursery School where they had a lovely pop-up cafe, serving the MOST delicious cake (the slice of lemon drizzle did make it home to my husband, although I was sorely tempted!)

My first event was ‘The Hare-Shaped Hole’ with author, John Dougherty, and illustrator, Thomas Docherty. This stunning picture book, beautiful in both words and illustrations, tells of the friendship between Bertle the turtle and Hertle the Hare. They are inseparable, but one day, Hertle disappears, leaving Bertle alone. Distraught, all he can see is a hare-shaped hole where his friend used to be. Bertle pleads with it, shouts at it, but no matter what he does, nothing brings Hertle back. When all hope seems lost, the gentle wisdom of Gerda the bear helps him to fill the hole with all his memories until he begins to feel better. It is such a poignant story, offering comfort and reassurance after the loss of someone dear. What happened to Hertle is never explored, allowing readers to put their own interpretation to the situation- the focus is on Bertle and his experience of loss.

The session was a complete joy from start to finish. John and Thomas began with a song, teaching the audience the chorus so they could join in. They are as talented musically as they are linguistically and artistically and the song was a joyful reminder to tell those you love that you love them. This obviously struck a chord with those listening as parents cuddled their children closer and smiled at each other. John then read the story, his beautiful rhyming text bring a tear the eyes of many in the audience, but also a sense of comfort and peace as Gerda supports Bertle with understanding his feelings and offers a way of ‘filling’ the hare-shaped hole in his life where Hertle used to be. The final spread in the book is simply stunning as it shows Bertle with Hertle’s shape now glowing, full of his memories, watched by Gerda who is holding paws with a bear-shaped hole also alive with memories. It is gorgeous.

Thomas then demonstrated how he draws Hertle and Bertle, sketching in shapes before building the characters in more detail. He taught everyone how to draw Gerda- the youngest members of the audience were best at this- and then Bertle. There were lots of amazing drawings! Finally, everyone was invited to fill an outline of Hertle in ways which showed their memories of someone close to them.

A brilliant session for a brilliant book! I even got to meet Thomas’s wife, Helen, who writes picture books!

The Hare-Shaped Hole

John Dougherty, illustrated by Thomas Docherty

Frances Lincoln ISBN: 978-0711276055