Louder than Hunger by John Schu

What does it feel like to eat without worry? 

Without a voice constantly 

quacking and crying 

inside your head? 

A voice 

pound, pound, pounding

yell, yell, yelling

ALL DAY.

Foreword: What if someone was brave enough to tell you the truth? What if someone dared to reveal their heart to you? The book that you hold in your hands tells a painful truth. It reveals a beautiful, broken heart. Jake’s heart. Jake is thirteen years old, and he has an eating disorder. You and Jake are about to go on a harrowing journey together; by the time you finish this book, you will be friends. Reading Jake’s story will change you. You might find that you want to reveal your heart, tell someone your truth. Telling your story can save your life. It may save someone else’s life, too. Jake knows this. John Schu knows this. That is why he wrote this book. For you. —Kate DiCamillo

Jake is thirteen. He has a voice in his head that is truly awful and it is voice that controls his actions and thought and he cannot seem to 'turn it off' or ignore it. The voice tells him he is ugly and fat and so he stops eating. He wears really baggy clothes to disguise his body and he weighs himself compulsively.

Grandma: You’re too thin. I worry. I see it even when you’re always wearing those baggy sweaters over your overalls. I don’t think you’re eating enough. You’re a growing boy. 

Me: I eat enough. I promise.

Elementary school was good, high school is torture. Jake takes some comfort though, from musicals. Louder than hunger is an autobiographical story. I used to follow John Schu when he was an ambassador for Scholastic and every time he visited a different city he would talk about the musicals he had attended - often seeing the same show many many times. This used to make me smile but now I know why. Visiting his grandmother is also a comfort. They both love musicals and the same television shows. Finally a former teacher who he visits in the nursing home where he goes as a volunteer alerts his mum that Jake is ill and after a visit to the doctor he goes into a mental health facility for adolescents. In The Pines he meet Kella

I love the way John Schu weaves into his story so many fantastic children's books (of course I would have expected him to do this!) such as Sarah, Plain and Tall; Shiloh; The Giver; Roll of Thunder Hear my Cry; and Where the Sidewalk ends. Jake also quotes poems by Emily Dickinson - I recently talked about this picture book for an IBBY Australia presentation:

Some reviewers list this book for readers aged as young as 12 but this book is so raw and distressing, I think it better suits mature readers aged 15+. The scene where Jake is fitted with a feeding tube is absolutely harrowing. My own connection to this story comes from around 1975 when I visited a mental health facility like the one in this book and I saw teens not much younger than me who were suffering like Jake - that moment had a profound impact on me. 

Written in a combination of non-rhyming poetry and prose, this elegant and unique verse-novel is propulsive and compelling. ... This visceral and raw memoir type book instantly draws the reader in and spits us out at the other end – in the best possible way. Kids' Book Review

Here is a podcast (one hour) where you can hear John Talking about his book.  You can read an extract on the Candlewick publisher page. 

John Schu (Schumacher) has made a career out of advocating for the people and things he cares about most: kids, books, and the people that connect them. He was named a Library Journal Mover and Shaker for his dynamic interactions with students and his passionate adoption of new technologies as a means of connecting authors, illustrators, books, and readers. He is the children’s librarian for Bookelicious, a part-time lecturer at Rutgers University, and shares his love of reading with countless educators and students around the world. He served as the Ambassador of School Libraries for Scholastic Book Fairs for almost 6 years.

You know that I am not a fan of endorsements but so many very famous authors have said such profound (and true) things about this book:

“Louder Than Hunger is a powerful and important book, giving readers entry into the world of a sensitive teen struggling physically and emotionally with crippling anxiety and anorexia. Through his free verse voice, we accompany Jake into his honest, raw, vulnerable world. I think readers of all ages will empathize with him, worry for him, and root for his journey to understanding, recovery, hope, and joy. Those who know the author, John Schu, and have witnessed his boundless enthusiasm and legendary passion for reading and the transformative power of story will connect on an even deeper level upon learning that Jake’s story parallels John Schu’s own. From troubled teen to author and speaker surging with compassion and joy and willing to share it all with the world—that is John Schu.”   —Newbery Medalist Sharon Creech

I read Louder than Hunger on my Kindle but I wanted to show you the way the verse in this novel is set out - it is so sparce and so very powerful. Louder than hunger has over 500 pages but you can see from this example that you can fly through this book and you do fly through because if you are like me you just wanted Jake to feel well again and for that dread anorexia voice to at least quieten down if not completely turn off:

This is not quite the final page but I hope reading these words from Jake will help you see that he will be okay:

I say to Dr. Parker, Thank you for “forcing” me to share complicated, hard-to-think-about thoughts. You helped me see anorexia nervosa isn’t really about food.

One Day by Michael Rosen illustrated by Benjamin Phillips

"A true story of courage and survival in the holocaust"

Begin here where Michael Rosen talks about his book.

Michael Rosen was commissioned to write this book. He had been researching what happened to his father's uncle and aunt in France during the holocaust. "They didn't come back."

Publisher blurb: “Get through one day and then on to the next. One day at a time. One day after another.” Eugène Handschuh was a Jewish member of the Resistance in occupied Paris. After he was captured by the Nazis, he was placed on a convoy to Auschwitz. Against all the odds, with the help of strangers and fellow members of the Resistance, Eugène and his father escaped the convoy and survived – when so many others did not. Former Children's Laureate Michael Rosen was inspired to tell this story after discovering his father’s uncle and aunt were on the same convoy as Eugène but never returned. With powerful illustrations from Benjamin Phillips, whose work has been shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal for Illustration, this sensitive true-story picture book reminds us of the best of people, in the worst of times.

Rosen uses a refrain to capture the determination of Eugène and his fellow prisoners: ‘Get through one day and then on to the next. One day at a time. One day after another.’ Elsewhere, Rosen celebrates other forms of courage, for instance the French couple who put themselves at risk to hide Eugène’s father. ‘I’ve never forgotten them,’ Eugène tells us, inviting us also to pause and reflect on their selflessness. This would be an excellent book to share with readers across the primary age range, particularly around Holocaust Memorial Day: for younger readers it introduces the topic in a safe and respectful way, and might lead into discussions around how we treat those who are different from us; for older readers it might inspire further research into Handschuh or other members of the Resistance. Just Imagine

Companion books:

Let the Celebrations begin

White Bird

I am also keen to find Stone Angel by Jane Yolen; The Whispering Town by Jennifer Elvgren; What Rosa Brought by Jacob Sager Weinstein; and The Harmonica by Tony Johnston.

Then and Now by Datsun Tran

"This book is dedicated to those who have had to make the difficult decisions to leave their homes, to those who had to cross oceans for safety, to those learning to live life again in foreign and sometimes unfriendly lands, to those who found their new homes, and to those who didn't make it in their attempts. Your courage will not be forgotten."

The narrative in this book is shared from two perspectives as the title implies - then and now. Look at these lines:

"Knock, knock, knock. We hide under the table."

"Knock, knock, knock. We open the door to welcome our guests."

These two highly contrasting responses to a knock at the door could form the basis of your introduction and preliminary discussions with a class before you read the whole book.

Or you could use this line "The smell of food is a distant memory." Talk about why the boy might say this. Discuss the difference between hunger and words you might use such as I'm hungry. Where in the world past or present might a child experience desperate hunger and starvation as the illustration shows? Talk about food as an important part of culture.

For more ideas take a look at this page from the publisher and here are some simple art ideas.

The way the two colours are used in this book is so powerful. The blogger at Reading Opens Doors explains it this way: Sepia tones are used to illustrate the past and capture the history of where the children have come from. The emotions etched on the children’s faces convey a gamut of feelings – fear, courage, desperation, sadness, despair, hunger and pain. The use of space on the page serves to highlight the vulnerability of the children. Shades of blue with pops of colour represent “now”. In their new home the children celebrate their culture, honour their ancestors, take comfort in sharing a traditional meal with their neighbours and experience a sense of belonging, abundance, freedom and beauty in their new community.

It would be fantastic to experience some of the 'now' foods mentioned in this book: dim sum and char siu bao.

Here is an interview with Datsun Tran and here is an extract:

The way refugees are often depicted in news and media don’t usually show the humanity, other than the suffering. So I wanted to show refugees as people like you and I, people who have had to go through a really devastating event. The story is told through sensory triggers for trauma, and I wanted to show that these triggers can also change and fade away to more positive experiences.

And I found another interview with images of the illustrations.

You already know I have an opinion about endorsements on book covers but with your students it would be very worthwhile to research the three people who are quoted on the back cover of Then and Now - Behrouz Boochani, Abdul-Rahman Abdullah and Zeno Sworder (My Strange Shrinking Parents).

An astounding work of light and shadow, this poetic and profound book is a rare treasure. Zeno Sworder

The publisher of this book is Slingshot Books. The founder says: I seek to broaden the range of print material accessible to children and their grown-ups. It’s my hope that the growing Slingshot library helps raise curious, brave, loving and critically engaged people who are committed to collective liberation.

When I saw this book on a display at the announcement of the 2025 CBCA Picture Book of the Year Notables I picked it up, read it and declared - this will surely be one of the winners!

The CBCA Picture Book judges in their Notables report said this - I have added bold to some of the text for emphasis:

Drawing on Vietnamese refugee experiences, this layered narrative explores the power of memory through sensory detail. The minimal yet masterfully crafted text creates emotional resonance through transformed meanings where the same sounds carry profoundly different weight across time and place. Ink paintings, inspired by classical Chinese brushwork, employ contrasting colour palettes of evocative browns for the past and deep blues for the present. Strategic touches of full colour highlight some pivotal moments. The illustrations, merging traditional and contemporary techniques, integrate seamlessly with the text. The cover's metaphorical composition, where past and present selves reach towards a bright red lantern, symbolises enduring cultural identity. The thoughtfully designed endpapers introduce contrasting colour schemes that flow throughout this immersive story of survival and renewal.

I said this in a previous post about another one of the splendid notables - A Leaf called Greaf: "One of the things that I think is important in Picture Book judging, when we think about an award such as the one from the Children's Book Council of Australia - relates to the universality of the book. Is this a book that could be shared with a child in another English-speaking country? Is this a book that should travel beyond our shores? Would you be excited to see this Australian book for sale in London or New York. Is this a book that transcends and age classification? (You could read this book to a child aged 6 or 7 and equally to an older child or gift it to an adult). I can answer YES to all of those questions ... Also a fabulous picture book like this should expect readers to 'join the dots' - to have to think about the story and its deeper meanings."

Check out my Pinterest and here are some companion books:

Grandma's Treasured Shoes

My Strange Shrinking Parents

What you need to be warm

Three Dresses by Wanda Gibson

I was so proud of my three dresses. I took care of them so I'd always have 

one to wash, one to wear and one spare. 

This is a book that should be shared with children all over Australia (and beyond). For many children this story will be so thought provoking. Imagine if your Christmas present was a new dress - I am sure most little girls would be excited. And what if you were given three dresses - now that is sure to make you extra happy. But what if the three dresses were not new? These are second-hand dresses given to you by the Lutheran church. Have your emotions just been through a roller coaster? Now think about how you feel if these are your only dresses - your best dresses - your special dresses. 

"You should have seen the joy on our faces when we put on those second-hand dresses. We were so happy."

Wanda and her family live at Hope Vale Mission. This is her story. She was born in 1946. 

"When I was a kid, I went to school and had to work on the farm. After school, I did domestic duties for the Mission staff."

Now let's continue the story. The next thing to think about as you read this book is holidays. How long do your family have for a holiday? Where do you go and how do you get there? What do you do on your holiday?  Wanda and her family have just two weeks each year. Wanda packs her three dresses, one to wear, one to wash and one spare. 

"We didn't have bags, so we'd lay our dresses on the ground and roll them up like a little swag to carry on our backs. Mum and Dad would take tools, blankets, and mayie to eat. We all had to carry so much."

Compare this with your class discussion. The family will walk to their holiday destination, they have no suitcases and on the next page we read the journey takes two days. 

So now think about where they might be going? What will they do there? Where will they stay and what will they eat?

The group arrive at the beach. They set up a camp and catch fish, gather bush tucker and tell stories. Of course, eventually the holiday ends but the little girls in the family still have their precious dresses. And for Wanda, recalling her childhood, this is a very special memory. 

Blurb UQP: When Wanda Gibson was a little girl, her mum would tell her this as they packed to go on holidays. Wanda grew up on Hope Vale Mission in Far North Queensland, and her family were allowed only one short break away from work each year. At their special spot at the beach, they camped in the sandhills, cooked fresh fish on the fire and swam in the ocean. Beautifully illustrated with Wanda’s paintings, this heart-warming true story celebrates family time, connection to place and finding joy in the simple things, like your favourite three dresses.

Thank you to UQP for sending the advance copy of Three Dresses which will be published on 30th April, 2024. Make sure you add this to your library collection - Primary and High School. Here are the teachers notes. And take a look at this excellent review from The Bottom Shelf. 

Wanda Gibson is a Nukgal Wurra woman of the Guugu Yimithirr people (on her mum’s side) and lives in Hope Vale on the Cape York Peninsula, Queensland. Her dad is a Yuuethawarra man and his country is around Cape Melville. Both of Wanda’s parents were Stolen Generation and were brought to Cape Bedford Mission when they were ten or twelve. Wanda is a master weaver – she weaves baskets, birds and fish from dried grass. She is also a painter and completed a Diploma of Visual Arts at Cairns TAFE in 2014. Wanda has five kids, eleven grandkids and five great-grandkids.

Companion books:

The Colour of Home by Mary Hoffman illustrated by Karin Littlewood

Hassan joins a new class. Hassan has come from Somalia. Hassan's new classroom is in England. Everything is difficult, confusing, and very strange:

"In his real home he had lessons out of doors from early in the morning until the sun got too hot at midday. Here he had to stay indoors except in the middle of the day, when he shivered outside in the damp playground."

"... he didn't understand anything that anyone said - only his name and 'hello' and toilet'."

"After lunch, which Hassan didn't eat, because he didn't know what it was, Miss Kelly gave the children big sheets of gritty grey paper ... she gave Hassan paintbrushes and a pot a water and showed him where all the colour were."

Hassan paints the colours of his home. It begins as a beautiful picture of his white house, extended family, farm animals, his precious cat and mimosa trees in the sunshine but then Hassan adds terrible details of guns and violence and death.  His teacher knows Hassan needs to talk about what he has experienced back in Somalia so she arranges for a translator. The next day Hassan explains his painting describing the "noise, the flames, the bullets and the awful smell of burning and blood."

On the first day when his mother and little sister picked him up from school Hassan says he has no painting to take home but on the second day he is able to paint again and this art takes pride of place in their English flat which had looked drab. The new painting is a happy one with bright colours showing his home in Somalia in happy times.  Looking around the room Hassan sees new hope through the colours - the maroon prayer mat, the green cushions, an orange table cloth, a pink dress for his sister and sunshine in the blue sky outside.

Reading this book is a profound emotional experience.  I have read this book over fifty times aloud and I cry every time. In UK schools this book is listed for the youngest students but I save it for our senior class of children aged 11+.  I don't often ask classes to vote for a favourite book but when I did this in the past - The Colour of Home often came out the winner. I was so happy in 2012 to meet Mary Hoffman in London. I told her how much I love to read this book to students in a suburban Australian primary school. Here is a set of questions used by a UK school with a Grade 2 class.

I was reading a book illustrated by Karin Littlewood this week and I remembered she illustrated one of my favourite books to read to our senior students - The Colour of Home. It seems I have not talked about this brilliant book here so today I decided to share this very important and beautifully told story with you.

A picture is worth a thousand words and, in this case, helps a young immigrant Somali boy make the transition into his new culture. Kirkus