As Brave as You by Jason Reynolds

(nearly five stars)

“Yeah, but you never, like, I’on’t know, just walk around your yard? Not all the way to the edge, but just a little bit? ’Cause if I had a big yard like this back home, I would be in it all the time. Even if I was blind,” Genie said. Grandpop cocked his head. “Is that so?” 

Genie wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Yep.” 

“Well, I guess I gotta figure out how to get as brave as you, Little Wood.”

The opening lines of As Brave as You might make you think this will 'just' be a funny book (perhaps filled with toilet humour) but if you think that you will discover you are so 'wrong'.

#460: Poop. Poop is stupid. Stupid poop. Stupid. Poopid. Poopidity. Is poopidity a word?

The boys are cleaning up dog poo. #460 is a way that Genie keeps track of his questions - especially here living with his grandparents who have no internet and so he has no way to use his friend 'Google'. The boys have come from Brooklyn to North Hill, Virginia. Their parents are supposed to be on a holiday. They are supposed to be 'working things out' and hopefully finding a way to stay together so meanwhile Genie and Ernie are trying to adjust to living in a totally new place with new rules. 

Back to Genie's questions. He writes them in a special book:

Genie flipped through pages of his notebook—where he kept his best questions. Some had already been answered, and some were still mysteries. He landed on one that he had totally forgotten about—#389: Do honey badgers eat honey?

Genie was the kind of kid who kept a small jacked-up notebook and pen in his pocket just so that he could jot down interesting things whenever they came. The point was to keep a list—a numbered list—of all the things he needed to Google, because to Genie, the more questions you had, the more answers you could find. And the more answers you found, the more you knew. And the more you knew, the less you made mistakes. Genie wasn’t about mistakes.

Genie is wise beyond his years, and he has a wonderful level of emotional intelligence.  After their long car trip to the country this is what he says about his mum:

The skin on her face looked heavy, and Genie wondered if she had slept at all during the ride. Actually, the skin on her face had been looking heavy for a few months.

There is another layer to this visit - Genie's father and his grandfather have not spoken to each other for years - so something bad must have happened in the past. AND also, Grandpop is totally blind and yet he manages to navigate inside the house. Inside yes, but he needs Genie to help him learn how to walk outside. 

Genie and Grandpop bond over Grandpop's secret inside greenhouse garden and over names - Genie is a girl's name given to a boy and Grandpop's name is Brooke. Ernie and Genie learn about selling peas at the market. It should be an uneventful Summer but of course it is not especially after the boys meet Tess who lives on the next farm. And good news Tess has Wi-Fi so Genie can get onto his backlog of questions. 

Oh and my heart broke when Genie accidentally broke the little red toy truck that had belonged to his Uncle Wood (spoiler alert - his uncle was a soldier who died in action twenty years ago in operation Desert Storm).

#442: Why am I so stupid? Why did he have to leave the truck on the floor? Why? His first day at Grandma and Grandpop’s house, and he had already messed up. The first day. He just couldn’t believe it. He hated making mistakes. All he could think about was how he had to make it right. He had to fix it. But… how?

I do have to give a content warning - this book contains guns, and a shooting.

He turned to open the refrigerator door, and that’s when Genie noticed something was sticking up from the back of his pants like a short tail. Oh… my… G—it was a pistol—the handle of a pistol! Genie had never actually seen a gun in real life, just on the cop shows Ma was always watching, or in movies—action flicks, sci-fi flicks, and even the scary flicks Genie and Ernie weren’t supposed to be watching. ... Questions to remember: What’s a blind man doing with a gun?  Why would Grandpop have a gun, period?

Readers aged 11+ with reading stamina will enjoy this book and the story twists and turns will keep them turning the pages desperate to see if young Genie can atone for his mistakes - breaking that precious truck and accidentally killing one of Grandpop's special birds not to mention the messy issue of Ernie's tooth, the gun shot and his worry about his mum and dad. 

Publisher blurb: Genie’s summer is full of surprises. The first is that he and his big brother, Ernie, are leaving Brooklyn for the very first time to spend the summer with their grandparents all the way in Virginia—in the COUNTRY! The second surprise comes when Genie figures out that their grandfather is blind. Thunderstruck, Genie peppers Grandpop with questions about how he hides it so well (besides wearing way cool Ray-Bans). How does he match his clothes? Know where to walk? Cook with a gas stove? Pour a glass of sweet tea without spilling it? Genie thinks Grandpop must be the bravest guy he’s ever known, but he starts to notice that his grandfather never leaves the house—as in NEVER. And when he finds the secret room that Grandpop is always disappearing into—a room so full of songbirds and plants that it’s almost as if it’s been pulled inside-out—he begins to wonder if his grandfather is really so brave after all. Then Ernie lets him down in the bravery department. It’s his fourteenth birthday, and, Grandpop says to become a man, you have to learn how to shoot a gun. Genie thinks that is AWESOME until he realizes Ernie has no interest in learning how to shoot. None. Nada. Dumbfounded by Ernie’s reluctance, Genie is left to wonder—is bravery and becoming a man only about proving something, or is it just as important to own up to what you won’t do?

This is one of those books where you feel as though you are sitting right beside the family. I especially loved Grandma's cooking and her no-nonsense approach to the boys. 

Reynolds gives his readers uncommonly well-developed, complex characters, especially the completely believable Genie and Grandpop, whose stubborn self-sufficiency belies his vulnerability and whose flawed love both Genie and readers will cherish. This pitch-perfect contemporary novel gently explores the past’s repercussions on the present. Kirkus Star review

Reynolds captures the bond that Grandpop and Genie form in a tender, believable, and entertaining way, delivered through smart and funny prose and sparkling dialogue. School Library Journal

Awards:

• ALA Notable Children's Books
• Bank Street Best Books of the Year
• William Allen White Children's Book Award Reading List (KS)
• ALA Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book
• Chicago Public Library's Best of the Best
• Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Book Award (IL)
• ALA Schneider Family Book Award
• ALA Notable Children's Recording
• Wisconsin State Reading Association's Reading List
• Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature Best Multicultural Books List
• New York Public Library Best Books for Kids
• Kirkus Prize Winner
• USBBY Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities Award List

Genie's questions sometimes act as a light relief from some of the heavy themes in this book - here are a few that gave me a smile:

#458: Grits? What exactly are they? And I get that they’re called grits because they’re gritty, but who thought that name was a good idea? That’s like naming peas green slime balls.

#456: How come glaucoma isn’t called eyecoma? Technically, Grandpop’s eyes are ’sleep, right? Eye… coma. Makes more sense.

#447: What does it mean to shoot the breeze? I know one thing, ain’t no breeze nowhere around here for Grandpop to shoot. 

#448: What does a month of Sundays mean? Has there ever actually been a month of Sundays? Maybe the first month of Sundays was the January after Jesus was born. 

#449: Is the sun hotter in the south? If so, then a month of sundaes makes more sense.

#486: How come teeth ain’t called mouthnails? Or maybe fingernails should be called fingerteeth. 

#487: Do old birds ever lose their beaks? Do they ever crack them pecking hard things? If they do, does that change the way they sing? 

#488: Why do they sing anyway? And is the song of a bird different if the bird is in a tree, in the sky, or in a cage?

The sound of colours by Jimmy Liao

"A year ago I began to notice that my sight was slipping away. I sat at home alone and felt the darkness settle around me. But today I walked outside into the thin gray rain and made my way to the subway. I have a journey to go on. There are some things I need to find."

Without sight the young girl in this story uses her other senses and her wonderful imagination to create images in her mind as she journeys through the subway. She takes care on the stairs as slowly as an elephant. She can feel the crunch of the autumn leaves. If she could climb the tree she would be able to pick a sweet red apple. The next station feels so vast - perhaps it is like stepping into the ocean. She imagines hearing the singing of the dolphins. Outside she cannot see the sky, but we see the scene - she imagines of a beach which is actually on top of a huge blue whale. The girl is stretched out in the sun in her swimmers with her hat and dog. And so her journey continues moving from one spectactular scene to another. 

"Now it listen for the sound of the colours I can't see. I try to smell the shapes, taste the light and dark. And I hope to find a friend who will read me a poem while the window fills up with sunset."

This quote touched my heart. My mother and two aunts had macula degeneration and so their vision was greatly impaired. I worry about losing my eyesight because this condition can be hereditary but if that happens it would be so special if someone could read me this book and take me on a journey like this one. 

Take a look at this detailed description of The sound of colours. 

Read more about Jimmy Liao here.

Blurb from author page: Follow the blind little girl to hear the sounds of colors together, and see how colors make sound. From one stop to another, visit the city corner, the breezy treetops, the entrance to the underground, and the exit to the sky anew.

Home is the place where everything I've lost is waiting patiently for me to find my way back.

Companion books:

The Seeing Stick

The Black Book of Colours

The Sound of Colours has been translated into Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chines, Japanese, English Spanish, Thai, French, Dutch, Polish, Russia,n Vietnamese, Italian, German, Portuguese and Korean

I mentioned Taiwanese artist Jimmy Liao and this book in a previous post and then to my absolute delight the Teacher-Librarian from the library where I spend fantastic days as a volunteer read my blog post and when I arrived she had this book ready for me to borrow! That is truly the best library service! The Sound of Colours was published in English in 2006. This is another example of why libraries are SO IMPORTANT. The Sound of Colours is long out of print but your local or school library may have a copy - I did have this book in my own former school library (hopefully they still have it).

Another companion book:

The Sound of Silence

A Place called Perfect by Helena Duggan

About halfway through this book I was sure I would give it five stars but then things became a little too tangled and complicated, so I have settled on four stars. This book is fast paced and so I read it all in one day. I would be very happy to recommend this book to readers aged 10+.

The premise that the whole town is controlled taking away the sight of every citizen and then providing them with special glasses that allow them to see, is intriguing. Yes, the glasses do work, the way people view the world through these lenses has been manipulated and so the people see perfection everywhere in the town of Perfect. And the glasses have another even more sinister function. They contain a device that robs everyone of their imagination. Imaginations are stored in glass jars after being collected late at the night. How did everyone become blind? It is all linked to some special tea which is provided to everyone, every day, several times each day. Even the children in school stop for regular 'tea' breaks. The tea is addictive and delicious because it tastes like your personal favourite flavour. 

There is an issue though with these glasses.  They only work when they are kept on your face. No one would be prepared to wear glasses in bed, so every night there is curfew which is designed to stop people hearing any sounds from the other side of the wall. This is where any people have been sent who haven't conformed to the regime imposed by Edward and George Archer. Why have they set up these schemes to manipulate the people in this town? Of course it is all about power and also we learn it is about jealousy. The people in No-Mans-Land are only allowed out at night and they are guarded by thugs called Watchers. They seem to have lost any urge to rebel. 

Violet becomes caught up in all of this because her father is a skilled ophthalmologist. She has moved with her father and mother to Perfect. Her mother very quickly changes into a 'perfect' person baking cakes and joining community events such as a the local book club but right from the start Violet is suspicious of the brothers, of the tea, and of this seemingly perfect town. 

Meanwhile (spoiler alert) the Archer brothers are working on making or growing eyes (you can see them on the cover). They have this very disturbing plan to operate and transplant these 'special' eyes into everyone. Luckily Violet meets Boy - he is an orphan who lives in No-Mans-Land and he is desperate to uncover the evil work by the Archers. It will take courage, teamwork, and determination to stop these evil men. You will be sitting on the edge of your seat because Helena Duggan makes her reader live through every terrifying situation. There were so many times when I was sure Violet and Boy would be captured and punished by the Archers. 

Publisher blurb (Usborne): Violet never wanted to move to Perfect. Who wants to live in a town where everyone has to wear glasses to stop them going blind? And who wants to be neat and tidy and perfectly behaved all the time? But Violet quickly discovers there's something weird going on in the town - she keeps hearing voices, her mam is acting strange and her dad has disappeared. When she meets Boy she realizes that her dad is not the only person to have vanished... and that the mysterious Watchers are guarding a perfectly creepy secret!

A place called Perfect was published in 2017. I picked up my copy for just AUS$3 at a charity book fair. 

This quirky, creepy mystery adventure story is an original debut that should intrigue 9+ readers who like their stories with an offbeat, uneasy atmosphere.  There are plenty of macabre details, particularly to do with eyes, and some fast-paced action but the plot does become rather over-complicated by the end and readers will need to concentrate.  This book provides plenty of dark humour amidst the action and some key messages about not following the crowd, being brave, looking beneath the surface and resisting controlling bullies.  Books for Keeps

I have now discovered there are three books in the series:

This book opens with a terrific map:

Helena Duggan is a children's author, graphic designer and illustrator from Kilkenny, a medieval town in Ireland, which was the inspiration for A Place Called Perfect. She writes in a treehouse built by her husband Robbie and his brother in the bottom of their garden.

Companion books:

Eventown

Masterminds

Simon Sort of Says

Last Stop on Market Street Matt de la Pena illustrated by Christian Robinson

Through simple yet powerful storytelling, Matt de la Peña explores themes of gratitude, perspective, and community. CJ begins the story feeling envious of what others have, 

but as he listens to his grandmother’s wisdom, he comes to see value in his experiences—in the people they meet, in the music of the streets, and in the sense of belonging 

that isn’t tied to material wealth. The book captures how young children process social differences and how caregivers can shape their understanding of privilege, joy, and human connection. Reading is Resistance

Last Stop on Market Street is a timeless masterpiece transcending age and genre, creating an immersive reading experience that will stay with readers long after turning the final page. This book is not just a journey through the city; it’s a journey of the heart—a celebration of diversity, resilience, and the beauty of the human spirit. Allow yourself to be transported by its magic. 

The Children's Book Review

It is easy to see this is part of CJ and his grandmother's weekly routine. After church they head to the bus stop. CJ has lots of questions but it is the answers that are truly special. His grandmother is filled with the joy of life even though clearly, as we discover, life is tough - she always has a positive answer to questions such as 'Nana how come we don't got a car?'; 'How come we always gotta go here after church?'; and 'How come it's always so dirty over here?'.

The bus is filled with many different people - not in a forced didactic way - if you have been on a suburban bus, you have seen they are usually filled with a variety of people from all walks of life. We see an older lady, a businessman, a young boy with tattoos, a blind man with his guide dog and a guitar player. The bus feels like a small community. His grandmother reacts to each person in a genuine and warm way - what a beautiful example for CJ to follow. When the guitar man plays his tunes, the experience of this bus ride becomes quite magical - but where are they going?

Last stop on Market Steet is a soup or community kitchen. It is in a poor part of town, but CJ sees a rainbow and the scene is transformed. Now look closely at the final page - have CJ and Nana come here for food - no - why are they here?

Last Stop on Market Street won the 2016 Caldecott Medal. 

Other awards:

• 2016 Caldecott Honor Book
• 2016 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book
• #1 New York Times Bestseller
• New York Times Book Review Notable Children’s Book of 2015
• NPR Best Book of 2015
• Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2015
• Wall Street Journal Best Book of 2015
• 2015 Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
• Horn Book Best Book of 2015
• The Huffington Post Best Overall Picture Book of 2015
• Boston Globe Best Book of 2015
• Chicago Public Library Best Book of 2015
• 2015 E.B. White Read Aloud Award Finalist

The air smelled like freedom, but it also smelled like rain, 

which freckled CJ's shirt and dripped down his nose.

He ducked under his nana's umbrella, saying 'How come we gotta wait for the bus in all this wet?' 'Trees get thirsty, too,' his nana told him. 'Don't you see that big one drinking through a straw?' CJ looked for a long time but he never saw a straw.'

You need to take your time reading this book - the story unfolds slowly.

Last Stop on Market Street doesn’t make political points. It just shows a visit to a soup kitchen from a small child’s perspective. The lead up to their arrival shows community spirit and strangers being nice to each other (whether they are heavily tattooed, or elderly ladies, or blind men with guide dogs). And the soup kitchen is an extension of that – from CJs point of view, it is about being nice to others and helping those who need help. So while it may be, on one level, an ‘issue’ book, it is also a simple ‘day in the life’ story of a little boy, who just happens to regularly go to a church, and take a bus to help out in a soup kitchen. It can be read in that simple way for children to enjoy and make sense of however they wish. But it also opens a window to experiences that are (hopefully) outside of their own and make them think about the difficulties that other people suffer....  It’s an observation of the world, designed to make us and our children think. Rhubarb and Wren

Christian Robinson’s acrylic and collage illustrations are smart, captivating snapshots of CJ’s day as he watches and interacts with a variety of people on the bus and at the soup kitchen. The visual camaraderie of the passengers—old and young, tattooed, talented, and disabled—as they talk together and smile at one another will cheer readers. The color scheme of bright and pastel colors shared from page to page enhances the book’s themes of interconnectedness and cohesion, and the clean, unadorned images reflect the idea that often the simple things in life really are the best. Celebrate Picture Books

Companion books (including one for older readers):

It's a no money day

Free Lunch

In a Flash by Donna Jo Napoli

“Stay alert. Always. Pay attention to everything and everyone. Pay attention to how things are done in your new country. Be kind. Be grateful. Smile a lot. Take care of each other.” ...

“Forza e coraggio—that will be your motto.” 

Forza e coraggio. Strength and courage. I close my eyes and still my heart. We can do this."

In a Flash is a gripping story and a page turner. I kept hoping I was going to be totally wrong about the ending - and then it happened - have you guessed what the title means? This book is set out in chronological chapters beginning on 24th July 1940. 

Simona and Carolina have lost their mother. Their father is a chef and he accepts an invitation to work at the Italian embassy in Tokyo. That should be an interesting experience for the young girls aged eight and five but the year is 1940. Students of history know there are three important and dreadful events associated with this time. World War II has begun. Italy has sided with Germany and Hitler but this will change. Japan will be drawn into the war after the bombing of Pearl Harbour and yes, we are heading for the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and later Nagasaki. It is war time so there is also rationing to contend with and remember Papa is a chef and the Italian Ambassador and his wife demand Italian food. As very young children both girls learn the new language of Japanese fairly easily and Simona especially picks up lots of cultural nuances which help her greatly as the navigate their new lives. 

When the allegiances change Italy becomes the enemy. Papa is taken to a internment camp and the girls are taken to a house with other foreigners. The did have a suitcase each at the beginning of their journey but Simona's suitcase is lost - this is such a heart-breaking scene. eventually the girls escape their 'imprisonment' and so begins a journey across Japan always hoping they can be reunited with their father. Their journey ends in Hiroshima. They arrive on 27th May 1945. In a few weeks time an unimaginable event will happen. Simona is nearly fourteen and her sister is nearly eleven. The final chapter of this book is dated 6th August 1965. 

A blinding light invades the room. Then a roar louder than any train, and we’re thrown to the ground. I climb on top of Karo-chan to protect her as things crash down on all sides. I cradle my head in my arms and wait. After a few minutes things stop flying through the air. Everything is quiet. And dark as night.

Her are some text quotes from In a Flash:

He sat me down and explained that because of the Pact of Steel, Germany’s enemies were Italy’s enemies; Germany was at war with France and Great Britain, so Italy was, too.

So that’s what this cloth is called. I untie the furoshiki, and there’s a rice ball, cucumber strips, and carrot chunks sitting in the middle. I know rice balls from home. I take a bite, but it’s nothing like in Italy—no cheese inside, no tomato, no peas. I take a nibble. Sweet. I nibble till it’s all gone. Then I eat the vegetables, which turn out to be pickled.

A couple of months ago, at the end of September, Italy and Japan and Germany signed a big agreement—the Tripartite Pact—and the next week the ambassador went to a huge party at some palace.

“When America declares war on Japan, Italy will declare war on America,” Papà says. “Remember the Tripartite Pact, Simona? Germany, Italy, and Japan fight together. The enemy of one is the enemy of all three.”

“A big, responsible Italian girl who knows Japanese as well as anyone.” He leans over a little. “My interpreter might not tell me things he doesn’t want me to know. I get the feeling sometimes, when he’s translating newspapers, that he skips things.

No one expects to see Western children here—so no one does. As long as we talk right and behave right, people think we are who we pretend to be. Language matters more than the shape of eyes. But if anyone looks too hard, we’ll get caught.

Staying alive is a game of wits. People often tell me that I’m clever, but right now I feel stupid. Staying alive is also a game of luck. So much depends on luck. Three women in a cabin in the woods. A blind washerwoman. But luck can run out.

We’ll go to Kyoto. They bombed Kobe and Osaka, but they won’t bomb Kyoto. Not beautiful Kyoto. They’ll want to preserve it so they can visit it as tourists in the future. That’s how Americans think.

This is good. I know where they can go. There’s a Catholic mission in Hiroshima where priests go after their own missions are bombed out. They only do this with priests who are friends of Japan. German priests.

In a Flash is a long book with 400 pages. I read my copy on a Kindle so I was able to read this book over just two days but for readers aged 11+ they will need some reading stamina. In a Flash was published in 2021 and so far, it is only available in hardcover so here in Australia it is priced at over AUS$30. Here is the website for Donna Jo Napoli.

It took me a little while to get into the rhythm of the first person narration but once I did I was hooked. The dates at the start of each chapter really drove the plot for me. I loved the kindness shown to the girls by strangers especially by the blind washerwoman. I also really appreciated the deep intelligence of Simona as she navigates her new culture. This book will give readers such an interesting insight into a different aspect of World War II and a very different perspective about life in Japan during those years especially the control of the media and the use of propaganda and indoctrination. 

Through the voice of Simona, this novel offers an unusual perspective on the World War II years in Japan. The girls’ journey is constantly challenging, as they often face sudden, unexpected risks. Because the story spans multiple years, there is a lot of information about Japan’s home front experience during the 1940s, including patriotism, propaganda, underground anti-war efforts, depletion of resources, and bombings. Topics of xenophobia, identity, assimilation, loss, friendship, and family are intertwined through the perspective of a young person navigating tumultuous events. Kirkus

Companion books:

The Miracle Tree

The Last Paper Crane

Before Nightfall by Silvia Vecchini illustrated by Sualzo translated by Geoffrey Brock

Carlo can't hear

Carlo can't see out of one of  eyes

Carlo was hurt and cut

open and sewn shut

in so many places.

I won't name them all because

it would be like playing

Operation

and always going buzzzzz

This verse novel is narrated by Emma. Her brother Carlo is hearing impaired and blind in one eye. His second eye is now failing and so Carlo will need an operation. The pages where Carlo recovers in hospital are the most powerful part of this book as each page is black (with white text) and so as a reader I really felt the pain of complete sight loss. Carlo did go to school with his sister but:

Because one again we received

a notice from school

Carlo won't be allowed

to continue to attend

none of the teachers there

are qualified to 

talk

think

create

invent

learn

stay

with him

So now Carlo is being homeschooled by his parents and everyone is trying to learn sign language but what will happen if Carlo can no longer see their hands?

This book is aimed at a Young Adult audience. It is a complex book to read and understand even though it only has 109 pages. It demands to be read very slowly because Silvia Vecchini does not fill any story gaps - you have to work things out for yourself. Between each section of verse there are narrative pages where we meet other people in Carlo's life:

Something different between the verse are different points of view from people in Carlo’s life. A school official, a sibling, a school friend and a local shopkeeper. A nurse and then Carlo himself, whose POV is portrayed in white text on black pages, signifying the darkness around him as he waits to see if his limited sight is restored. What book next

Publisher blurb: A moving tale about a brave hearing-impaired teen losing his vision, told through the perspective of his loving sister in poetry, prose, and the sign-language alphabet. Carlo is a teenager who happens to be hearing-impaired and can see only out of one eye. Now that eye is failing, and Carlo must have an operation to try to save his vision. His fierce and funny sister Emma, Carlo’s closest companion, begins writing poems that express the fear she works hard to hide, while his seeing-eye dog Lulù remains steadfastly at his side. But even with the support and affection of his family, how can Carlo face such uncertainty? And what will happen if he can no longer communicate with them? Before Nightfall is a book about trust, imagination, empathy, and language, narrated through the poems Emma types and through prose passages told from multiple perspectives and illustrated with sign-language alphabet, drawn by the Italian artist Sualzo. Despite the immense challenges Carlo and Emma face, their story is one of hope and wonder.

I picked this book up in Readings Kids in Melbourne. I probably would not have found Before Nightfall, but it had been miss-shelved with the Middle Grade books - it is most certainly a YA title. The book price sticker shows this too. You know that I rarely read YA but I am pleased I made this discovery, and I am keen to share this book with a literary friend. 

Silvia Vecchini was born in 1975 in Perugia. She loves poetry and has written several books for children and young adults. Antonio “Sualzo” Vincenti is an author and comics illustrator. He won the Festi'DB di Moulins in 2009, best screenplay category, for L'Improvvisatore, and was named finalist in the Micheluzzi Award in 2010. Geoffrey Brock is the author of two collections of poems, the editor of The FSG Book of Twentieth-Century Italian Poetry, and the translator of books by Umberto Eco, Italo Calvino, Roberto Calasso, and others. His translation of Pinocchio appears in both the NYRB Classics series and the New York Review Children’s Collection. He teaches in the MFA Program in Creative Writing & Translation at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.

Awards for Before Nightfall:

• Strega Ragazzi Prize 2021 Finalist
• Cento Prize 2020 Finalist
• Orbil Award 2020 Finalist
• Giovanni Arpino Prize 2020 Finalist

I do hope this book has been submitted by IBBY in Italy for our IBBY Collection for Young People with Disabilities. 

The IBBY Collection located at the Toronto Public Library features a large international selection of books for and about young people with disabilities. The books are chosen by the IBBY National Sections, as well as by independent experts and publishers. Take a look at our Australian titles which are part of this collection. 

Highlights of the Collection include:

• 4000+ books in over 40 languages
• special formats such as Blissymbolics, PCS, Braille, sign language, tactile and textile books
• fiction books that portray children and teens with disabilities as characters in stories and novels
•  books for adults with developmental delays, language disabilities or reading difficulties

I Love Vincent by Laura Ljungkvist

"My name is Scout. I am a good dog! 

My best friend is Vincent. 

Vincent can't see so I am his guide

and we go everywhere together."

This book had the potential to move me to tears for two reasons. I just watched a moving little Instagram film of a very young boy exploring the uniform of a firefighter with his hands. And many years ago we had a boy in my school who had lost both his eyes as a baby.

Scout is a guide dog and Vincent is his best friend. We follow their journey in this book from their meeting in guide dog school through to Scout learning how to navigate Vincent's home and neighborhood. They visit the park and ride the subway and enjoy lunch at a cafe. At night Scout can relax without his harness and the friends enjoy listening to music together. 

My friend picked this book up for her library from a bargain bookseller but sadly it is out of print because it was published in 2021. If you can find it, this book would be a terrific addition to your school or preschool library. 

You might like to watch this television series "Pick of the Litter." Here are some other books about guide dogs from my friend at Kinderbookswitheverything.

Laura Ljungkvist is originally from Sweden. She moved to the US in 1993. You can see inside her books here. 

I previously talked about this book by Laura Ljungkvist:

Pepi sings a new song

And these might be in your local or school library:

Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements

Bobby Phillips wakes up one morning and he is invisible - this is not just a concept - he is invisible. No one can see him, but he is still there. If he puts on clothes his family can see the outline of his body, but he has no face and no hands. Naturally all the questions begin - why did this happen? How did this happen? How long will this last? What might happen if others especially the 'authorities' find out? Will Bobby have to live at home in his room for the rest of his life? 

In answer to the last question, Bobby is not prepared to stay home. So, after his parents head out to work, he puts on layers of clothes, a woolly scarf across his face and sunglasses and he heads to the library. No one even looks at him - this is Chicago, and it is a cold day. In the library Bobby takes off all his clothes hides them in a roof cavity in the boy's bathroom and then he sets off to explore this familiar and yet somehow now unfamiliar place. It is a lonely day for Bobby, but he makes a few discoveries about himself and about other people. As he leaves the building, with his clothes back on, he bumps into a young girl. Alicia is blind - not just vision impaired - she cannot see after a head injury. This pair seem like the perfect combination to be friends. Over the coming days Bobby tells Alicia he is invisible and together they set out to solve this mystery. 

This book is filled with science theories because Bobby's dad and Alicia's father are both scientists, but it is Bobby himself who pieces together the possible cause of his invisibility. There are complications - Bobby does have to move around the city naked, and it is cold. His parents are involved in a car accident and while they are okay both are kept in the hospital for a few days, so Bobby has to navigate his new life alone. The school and the welfare people demand to know why he is not at school. The explanations and the feisty reactions of Bobby's mum are sure to make you smile. And there is the complication of a new relationship. Alicia is still working through adjusting to her new reality and Bobby has very little experience talking to girls. I enjoyed watching the ups and downs, highs and lows, and communication mishaps of their bourgeoning relationship. 

Yes, this story is very far-fetched but it also has an internal logic that I found fascinating. This is a Young Adult book - mainly because the two main characters are high schoolers. This book was published in 2002 but I was pleased to see it is still in print. 

As always, Clements’s genius for developing credible plot lines (even from oddball premises) makes suspension of disbelief no problem. His characters, each one fundamentally decent ... are easy to like. A readable, thought-provoking tour de force, alive with stimulating ideas, hard choices, and young people discovering bright possibilities ahead. Kirkus star review

While technically I suppose you'd have to call this a science fiction novel, it is a perfect crossover book for readers who don't normally read that genre. This is a book about Bobby and what he discovers about himself, his family, and people in general. I think you'll enjoy this one. I know I did. YA Books Central

"Clements's story is full of life; it's poignant, funny, scary, and seemingly all too possible. The author successfully blends reality with fantasy in a tale that keeps his audience in suspense until the very end."--School Library Journal

The only problem with this book is that it is one that sort of defies a convincing description. I really enjoyed it-- the details are spot on, the explanations don't stretch credulity too far, and the reaction of the parents is one with which many students will identify ... Ms Yingling

I picked this book up at a recent charity book sale - mainly because I am a huge fan of Andrew Clements. This book is very different from his middle grade titles such as Frindle; The Janitor's Boy; The Jacket; The Landry News; and my own favourite Extra Credit. 

If you do need a book to read that is similar to Things not seen perhaps look for this one:

This book was the 1980 CBCA winner. Not long after I read this book I was standing in the queue for McDonald's in the city. I stood at the counter for a long time and was totally ignored by the server. It felt as though the invisibility I read about in Displaced Person had become my reality. I just checked my copy of Displaced Person and I find it interesting that this book has only 138 pages. Such a powerful story. Maurice Saxby said: "It is an extended image of alienation; the mental state when one feels a nobody; the black cloud, the wedge of ice that site close to the heart when one journeys alone. It is also a metaphysical examination of reality and unreality; a speculation ... of what lies beyond the realm of human understanding. It is a tight, tense and gripping story with a poignant and poetic ending."

Wanderer by Victor Kelleher

"Remember Dane, ... You're more than a wanderer now. You've become a keeper of the old knowledge. A Book Holder. It's who you are, who you're meant to be ... 

one of the precious few ..."

In the Golden Years people had books and libraries and perhaps life was easier? But they must have some terrible things because the world is now so damaged. The Clans hold power using terror and violence against people who are barely surviving in small settlements. These fierce warriors are ruthless and extremely dangerous but animals are dangerous too. What did the people from the past do to the wild creatures of the earth?

"It could have affected the animals too ... Is that maybe why they hate us so much?' ... 'Think about it Put yourself in their place ... You're a dolphin, say or an orca, or a big cat in the forest, and people do cruel things to you. They take away your food, you hunting grounds, your freedom."

Dane has seen the death of his parents and he has become a wanderer. His grief is deep so it feels as though he is actually running away. He has a few essential tools such as a flint and knife along with his precious kayak. As this story opens Dane sees some smoke on an island. He decides to investigate and he meets a wise woman who has survived several attacks by the Clan. 

Megan offers him food and advice. Dane's kayak is in need of repairs. Megan tells Dane about a skilled craftsman named Garth and so after spending a short time with Megan, Dane sets off to find Garth little knowing this will be the beginning of a long and perilous journey. He also has no idea he is about to meet his travelling companion  - a girl named Lana. Lana has an amazing skill. When she sings, she is able to calm wild animals on land and in the sea. Lana can also sense danger well before it arrives in fact all of her sense are very finely tuned and this is because she is blind but there is no way this is an obstacle for Lana. She is a fearless and loyal companion and she and Dane make a wonderful team out in the wild ocean. Their purpose it to reach Elysia where there is supposed to be a library. Dane has one book (books are rare and precious objects in this future world and nearly all have been destroyed by the Clan). He also has a book from Megan and later a small collection of ten titles rescued when the clan attack Garth's hideaway. 

The writing in this book is powerful. You will feel the danger, the cold, the hunger and the pain from horrible wounds inflicted on Dane by Kurt, leader of the Clan. Kurt has his own motivation for chasing Lana and the longer his hunt goes on the more a madness overtakes him making a very dangerous combination of rage, deadly weapons and insanity. 

Along the way Lana and Dane meet other wise people one of whom is a woman named the Sealer. She tells them to avoid two dangerous islands as they travel south to Elysia - when I read this part of the story I desperately hoped Dane and Lana would heed her warning but alas they do not. The scenes on Skull Island and later Barter Island are filled with dreadful violence which is why I am listing Wanderer as a Young Adult book for ages 13+. These places reminded me of Where the world ends by Geraldine McCaughrean. Elysium is from Homer's Odyssey and means a place or state of ideal happiness - a paradise.  

Here are a few descriptions to give you a flavour of this story:

The clan: "Even at this distance Dane could make out their fur tunics, their heavily tatooed arms and face, their hair tied into upright tufts. ... Like Danes own weapons, clipped to the side of the kayak, they were fashioned mainly from the debris of another age - one long-since passed - a fabled time known widely as the Golden Years."

"Karl had bought just ten warriors with him. They entered the square in a single phalanx, each of them dressed resplendently in feathered cloaks and painted leather tunics and leggings. Colour ochres had been smeared across their tattooed faces giving them a fierce animal appearance ..."

I do need to also mention there are some interesting book references scattered through out the story many of which  are shared in the evenings by Lana and others they meet. Stories such as Shakespeare, Hans Christian Andersen fairy tales, Hansel and Gretel, The Hobbit,The Piped Piper, Moby Dick, and Charles Dickens. It was interesting to hear Karl quote Tamburlaine because I recently read this book - Tamburlaine's Elephants. The story is also book ended with two lines from an poem by Arthur Hugh Clough (1855). You can hear the whole poem here. 

"Say not the struggle nought availeth, the labour and the wounds are vain."

You can read the blurb for Wanderer here.

Wanderer is also a homage to the power of books and stories, in the hope that if they keep the books safe they can help rebuild their world. Lamont

The novel explores themes of courage and tenacity, resilience and ingenuity, loyalty and friendship, survival and hope. And it is a celebration and testament to the power of story and books, and the wealth and comfort these provide to us mere mortals. Kids' Book Review

Wanderer was short listed for the NSW Premier's literary award - Patricia Wrightson Award. Here is what the judges said:

With danger at every turn and constant action that grinds to a dramatic climax, Wanderer by Victor Kelleher grips the reader from the start, never letting up on the drama, tension, and conflict. This novel stood out for its strong narrative voice and for its child protagonists who remain in control of their own destinies throughout. Theirs is a high-stakes, life-and-death struggle against the decaying, lawless world around them as they must battle and attempt to outwit adults, wild animals, and nature itself. 

This middle-grade novel is set in a dystopian future where ocean levels have risen and society has crumbled. Young Dane and his new friend, Lana, must complete a perilous quest that focuses on special treasures: precious, rare books. And, yet, Wanderer is also much more than this. It’s a tale of friendship, courage, endurance, and a warning of what the future may hold for humanity. Eagle Books an imprint of Christmas Press

This is the first book written by Victor Kelleher in many years. I loved his previous books - The Forbidden Paths of Thual (1979); The Hunting of Shadroth (1981) and Taronga (1986). I did enjoy this newest book especially the cliff hanger scene just twenty pages from the end. Victor Kelleher is a highly awarded Australian author so I was a little puzzled that this newest book did not have a list of all his past titles. This is a book feature I use check off other books I have read.

I have a funny anecdote about this author. I worked in five schools as a Teacher-Librarian.  In 1996 I visited my former/final school for the first time. This appointment was a transfer not a merit position but the Principal decided to interview me. She asked a senior primary teacher from her staff to attend this "interview". The Principal considered this teacher to be well read and so between them they had set up a "trick question". The teacher asked do you have a favourite book by Victor Kelleher.  Looking back this seems so funny. I wonder why they picked him.  I answered with the three books I listed here - I think this means I passed the "test". 

Taronga

Companion books - Wanderer made me think of books about Vikings and other people from ancient times rather than dystopian worlds:

The Young Vikings

She Wolf

Tarin of the Mammoths book one

August and Jones by Pip Harry

Jones Kirby and her mum and dad have had to sell their family farm and move to the city because after years of dreadful drought they can no longer afford to live in the town of Cotton. Their new flat is small and right beside a railway line. For readers who live in Sydney you might know the suburb of Wollstonecraft. In the alternate chapters we read about August. He lives with his footy mad dad, older brother Archer who has the potential to be a football (Australian Rules Football) star, mum and his sister Lexi. I just need to make a comment about Lexi - I love her!  She is a beautiful older sister. There is a scene near the beginning of this book where August tells Lexi he has been chosen to show Jones around the school. Here is part of his conversation with Lexi that made me cheer!

"Want me to tell you the school tour I'm going to do for Jones, in order of importance?"

Her reply: "Absolutely."

So Jones has to go to a new city school leaving her two best friends back in her old class. When Jones was a baby she lost her eye to retinoblastoma. She now only has vision in one eye but she knows how to navigate her way around, she is keen on climbing and running and she is very used to answering curious questions about her prosthetic eye. 

August has his own issues at home. His dad is crazy for football but August is not a skilled player and he really does not want to practice or play this game every weekend. He prefers reading, telling jokes and learning new facts. He is also learning, thanks to Lexi, how to knit. His mum and dad keep fighting and it is clear that very soon they will separate. 

August and Jones become the very best of friends and Jones suggests they should write a bucket list. At the top of their list they put - see a sloth - but it turns out there are no sloths in Australian zoos so they have to settle for a Francois Langur monkey at our Taronga Zoo here in Sydney and best of all this monkey has a new baby named Meimei. Also on their list is running a 10km race across Sydney and climbing Mount Kosciuszko.

It is SO lucky that the class teacher asked August to show Jones around the school on her first day!

Here is the publisher blurb: Eleven-year-old Jones Kirby has just moved to Sydney from her farm in country New South Wales. She's missing her alpacas and wide-open paddocks and can't get used to her family's tiny city apartment. She's also worried that her vision is blurry - she lost her eye to cancer as a toddler. Could it be another tumour? Enrolling at her new school, Jones meets shy, awkward August Genting. He loves fun facts, the library and knitting as much as Jones loves rock climbing and being outdoors. Who would have thought they'd become fast friends? At home, August's parents are fighting. And for Jones, the news from the doctor is not good. To cheer themselves up, the pair hatch a brilliant plan: the August and Jones Must-See Bucket List. Together, this brave duo will set out to meet a rare monkey, run across the Harbour Bridge and even climb Australia's highest mountain.

Here are some review comments for August and Jones:

Kindness and love are celebrated in this story of an unusual and moving friendship. Reading Time

This was a wonderfully heart-warming story about friendship, and what it means to find that one person who will stick by you and do all they can to support you and be there for you. That you can share everything with and be yourself with. The Book Muse

In this interview with Paperbark words Pip Harry talks about writing her book during the pandemic. 

Here are the judges comments for August and Jones:

August and Jones explores complex and challenging concepts such as parental expectations, drought, unemployment, changing homes and schools, anxiety, depression and childhood cancer. The characterisation is strong, with adults and children presented in an authentic and believable way. Contrasts in family life are highlighted with Jones's supportive family juxtaposed with August's angry father, depressed mother and sibling ties. The book is written expertly and sensitively, balanced with humour, showing how friendship, love, personal strength and belief in oneself and others can help overcome difficulties, change and loss. Jones’ cancer is never used for sympathy, and she remains positive despite the hardships she faces.

As I read this book I had so many personal connections with the story. At my former school we had a student with retinoblastoma. He had lost both his eyes but nothing could stop this wonderful boy. I feel so privileged to have met him. I recognised all of the places in the story, even the cafes because I have been to many of them here in Sydney. I'm terrified of heights so I really sympathised with August when he is too frightened to ride the chair lift at the ski field. Pip Harry read a story in our Sydney Morning Herald (October 19, 2019) about two kids just like August and Jones. You need a subscription to read the article but I found this report from the ABC about Mathilde and Jarrah.

I have been reading my way through the 2023 CBCA (Children's Book Council of Australia) Younger Readers shortlisted titles. When the list was announced I had already read three of the six and today I completed my final title - August and Jones by Pip Harry.

Runt by Craig Silvey

Evie and Rhino by Neridah McMullin

The Raven's Song by Zana Fraillon and Bren MacDibble

Xavier in the Meantime by Kate Gordon

The Way of Dog by Zana Fraillon

The early scenes in August and Jones when Jones and her family pack up their farm reminded me of this wonderful (but sadly now out of print) verse novel:

Jones has cancer. You might like to also read these books:

Exit through the Gift Shop

The Honest Truth

Sick Bay

Lenny's Book of Everything

Here are two other books by Pip Harry:

Are you there, Buddah?

The Little Wave