 Teenage Henry, with a club foot, a terrible stutter, and dyslexia, is the target of unrelenting bullying. After committing several violent acts at school and at home, he is sent to the Home of Lesser Brethren, a desolate farm for troubled boys, in the middle of the lava fields on the Icelandic coast. The farm is run by the frightening and misguided Reverend Oswald and his loving wife. Henry finds some peace in tending the cows and sheep, but he is lonely and desperate for a friend. Each time he trusts someone, he is betrayed. The prologue explains that the story is a flashback written by Henry’s friend. Not until the end, do we learn who the friend is. This sophisticated and engrossing story of an outcast’s hope is a clear tribute to Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s The Little Prince. The poetic language describes moments of tenderness and also unspeakable cruelty. It will transport you to the cold, harsh, yet comforting Icelandic landscape. mjw |
| Title: Boy On The Edge Author: Fridrik Erlings Publisher: Candlewick Copyright: 2012 Original language: Written in English but based on a book the author had previously written in Icelandic. ISBN: 978-0-7636-6680-4 Hardcover pages: 240 Age range: 14 and up Genre: Fiction – novel Book setting: Iceland Author’s ethnicity: Icelandic Author’s residence: Iceland Subjects: Clergy, Club Foot, Dyslexia, Foster Children, Iceland, Northern Europe, Stutter, Teenage Boys |
Boy On The Edge
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Celeste, an insightful, curious sixth-grader living in Valparaiso, Chile, leads an idyllic life. She is the daughter of two doctors, lives in a loving multigenerational household with her Nana Delfina, a nanny, and her Abuela Frida, goes to school with good friends, and is inspired by the things she sees outside her window on Butterfly Hill. Her world is turned upside down when Valparaiso begins to feel the tremors of rule by a ruthless dictator; these tremors are referred to as “earthquakes of the soul” by Celeste’s mother. Celeste’s parents go into hiding, her friends and neighbors begin to disappear without warning, and finally she flees to Juliette Cove in Maine to stay with her Tia Graciela. There she remains for over two years awaiting the news that the dictator has been overthrown. Finally she can return to her beloved homeland. Based on the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet in the 1970s, this novel is full of imagery and poetic language. Watercolor, ink, and digital illustrations are sprinkled sparingly throughout this compelling novel that combines the author’s personal experience with history. cc
Lucy asks to borrow her mother’s very last hug before heading off to bed. She promises to give it back and decides to keep it safe. As she shares the hug with all of her family members, Lucy gets the hug back each time until Annie, the family dog, dashes away with it. This charming and warm story conveys the power and love in ordinary bedtime routines of family life. Mixed-media illustrations follow Lucy’s journey around the house until she is tucked snugly into bed. cc
In 1915, ten-year-old Aileen Rogers’ father, Lawrence Browning Rogers, enlisted in the Fifth Canadian Mounted Rifles. Aileen, left in Quebec with her mother and younger brother, sent her precious stuffed Teddy bear to the front lines in Europe to protect him. Teddy came home to the Rogers farm. Lieutenant Rogers did not. He was killed at the battle of Passchendaele in Belgium. In 2002, Lawrence’s granddaughter found Teddy, letter, and war memorabilia in a family briefcase. This moving story, narrated by Teddy, is accompanied by family photographs, newspaper cuttings, and warm oil paintings. Today Teddy lives in a glass display in the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, Canada. mjw
This happy book celebrates the first ferris wheel ride of a young brother and sister. The brilliant, imaginative illustrations are filled with scenes of cotton candy trees, whirling ferris wheel cars, jelly bean people, and dot-to-dots with stars. Rhymed and unrhymed poetry dances on the pages. mjw
Rico is “a child proddity,” not prodigy, because his brain works like a “drum full of bingo balls.” He is also directionally challenged. His wondering about a single strand of spaghetti on the sidewalk outside his Berlin apartment leads him to Oscar, who is a true child prodigy. Oscar has a high IQ, a lot of anxieties, and he always wears a blue motorcycle helmet to protect his brain. When Oscar is kidnapped, Rico sets out to find his friend and catch the serial kidnapper know as Mr. 2000. This short novel with compelling characters is thoughtful and fun. mjw
In this fantastical picture book, the big brother sets the rules. The rules and consequences are arbitrary and unpredictable. “Never leave a red sock on the clothesline” is followed by an image of a gigantic red rabbit glaring at the terrified boys. “Never be late for a parade” leads to a procession of weird mechanical toys. And finally, “Always know the way home” shows the two boys safely sitting on the couch watching TV. The living room walls are covered with images of all the out-of-this-world creatures they encountered in the book. Lavish, thick oil paintings epics the mysterious world of the two boys’ imagination. An app of the story, published by Wheelbarrow- Australia, draws readers into Tan’s surreal landscape. mjw
