All That It Ever Meant

Devastated by the loss of their mother, Mati, her siblings and father set off on a trip back to their father’s home in Zimbabwe. Each member of the family is struggling with their bereavement. Their father struggles with his own grief as well as the responsibility of looking after his children; seventeen-year-old Chichi is getting in trouble at school and picking on her siblings; ten-year-old Tana seeking escape, drinking Heineken to help him sleep with Mati, the thinker and observer of the family, tries watches everything carefully. Whilst on the trip, Mati finds herself joined by Meticais, a rather grumpy, mysterious and fabulously dressed gender-neutral figure who only Mati can see and talk to. Reluctantly, Mati comes to realise that Meticais is guiding her to come to terms with what has happened, slowly finding her way towards acceptance.

‘All That It Ever Meant’ is a stunning novel about love and loss, family and belonging. The complexities of human nature, relationships and emotions are all sensitively explored in this beautifully written, cleverly constructed and gripping story.

It is never clear whether Meticais is a figment of Meti’s imagination, a spirit, a ghost or something else, but their presence and conversation allows Meti to explore the complexities of her mother’s feelings about trying to assimilate to her new life in England- something which she never came to terms with and which affected the family dynamic as well as her mother’s mental health. As the family shares the road trip, the close proximity of their travelling and accommodation as well as the landscape they find themselves in force them to face up to past events and start to look to the future and cope with their loss.

Deeply poignant, this is an intriguing and compelling novel with one of those endings which just…

It’s a must read- and re-read- and re-read.

All That It Ever Meant

Blessing Musariri

Zephyr ISBN: 978-1035002477

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

My Life on Fire

When disaster strikes and Ren’s family lose their home in a fire, they feel lucky to be  alive. But soon, having lost everything and having to live a very different life at her grandmother’s, Ren starts to feel resentful that others have lovely things whilst she and her family have…nothing. Having no one to turn to, Ren starts to collect new things- things which don’t belong to her.

Brimming with positivity and questions, Casper really can’t believe that there is a thief in his class and is sure it must be a mistake. However, when he learns the truth, will he be able to help put things right?

Cath Howe is a superb author who manages to combine excellent writing, gripping plots and engaging characters with challenging storylines which make the reader think. This story is told through the voices of Ren and Casper.

From the outset, Cath develops empathy for Ren and her family. The pain she feels for the loss of her special possessions as well as everyday items which are usually taken for granted is poignantly conveyed as is the contrast between her lovely bedroom and the places she finds herself in. She is constantly conflicted, knowing the family are lucky to be alive and together and yet… Against this, the reader watches, helpless, as Ren finds her own way of coping and things spiral out of control. Cath’s understanding and development of characters is second to none.

Casper is one of those children all teachers instantly recognise. Good hearted, full of enthusiasm and boundless energy, they can sometimes be exhausting, but are the heartbeat of a happy class. He is bewildered by what he discovers- ‘only a bad person would do something like this’- but is positive everything can be made right. His friendship and support are just what Ren needs, helping her to find herself again.

The story never seeks to excuse Ren for what she does, but it opens a door for discussions around the reasons why people might act in certain ways and how they might be supported with this. The impact of her actions on others is also considered. ‘My Life on Fire’ is a powerful, sensitive novel with much to recommend it.

 My Life on Fire Cath Howe

Nosy Crow ISBN: 978-18339942839

Published 6th April 2023

Originally reviewed for Reading Zone.

You can read my review ‘The Insiders’ here and my Q and A session with Cath here.

The Mountain Rescue Dog

Everything changes for Clova after her mother, part of the Glenstrome search and rescue team in the Scottish mountains, dies during a rescue mission. Her grieving father withdraws into himself, becoming overly protective of his daughter and it is thanks to the efforts of her grandfather that the family hotel is still running. Feeling lonely and lost, Clova is struggling until she meets Tatty, a nervous collie stray, who helps her find purpose again as she begins to train him as a rescue dog. When two young boys are lost, Tatty and Clova track them down; her father is furious and vows to send Tatty away, leaving Clova heartbroken. However, when her father is lost on the mountain and heavy snow causes an avalanche, Clova and her faithful dog prove that they belong together and save the day.

Anyone who has had a dog will instantly recognise the remarkable bond that can form with a much loved companion. Juliette Forrest captures this perfectly, making ‘The Mountain Rescue Dog’ a great read for anyone with a canine pal. However, there is so much more to this fabulous story of grief, courage and adventure.

The incredible work of mountain rescue teams and their Search and Rescue dogs is really celebrated through the book, giving the reader a glimpse of the work which the dogs, their handlers and the teams do and the lengths which they go to, at great personal risk, to save those in need. In her author note at the end of the book, Juliette says, ‘Scottish Mountain Rescue have 850 team volunteers, who will respond at a moment’s notice 24 hours-a-day, 365 days-a-year.’ Through highlighting their amazing dedication and the essential work they do, the story also acts as a reminder of the dangers and fickle nature of mountains, encouraging readers (should they wish to!) to explore them safely. The patience and commitment needed to train a rescue dog and the love and kindness used to do this is beautifully explored as Clova trains Tatty with guidance from her grandfather, who offers many useful tips to consider when training any dog!

Deeply poignant in places, the story also explores loss and the overwhelming nature of grief. Clova is devastated by her mother’s death and keenly feels the secondary loss of her father who has lost himself in his sorrow. His frantic desire to protect his daughter- to try to keep her safe- results in a lack of communication and a loss of understanding as each struggles to come to terms with what has happened. The story also touches on her grandfather’s grief as he sees his daughter in Clova, comforting her as he acknowledges her sadness, sharing his feelings with her in a way her father is not ready to.

‘…everywhere you go a fresh memory pops up you had forgotten about. Even though you can see them as clear as day as if they’re right in front of you - you know they are not coming back.’

With each of her books, Juliette Forrest offers something different, but strong characters and vivid settings are sure to feature whatever the focus. In ‘The Mountain Rescue Dog’, she has created a heart-warming tail (sorry- couldn’t help myself!) of loss, love and understanding which is sure to become a firm favourite for teachers to read to their class as well as for enjoying independently.

The Mountain Rescue Dog Juliette Forrest

Scholastic ISBN: 978-0702313646

Published 1st September 2022