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The Lion Above The Door by Onjali Q Rauf

Jul3

We Will Remember Them

The Lion Above The Door by Onjali Q Rauf is a powerful children’s novel that will educate you as you read, whatever your age. It is suitable for ten years and over.

The story is told through the eyes of nine year old Leo, who, after a school trip to Rochester cathedral is inspired to search out the World War II record of his namesake. Leo is tenacious in his search, despite meeting brick wall after brick wall. Some of his ways to look for info are genius.

Leo is a very likable lead character, who, along with his friend, Sangeeta, is subject to racist bullying in both the classroom and the playground. Children can be very cruel. The teachers seem oblivious to this continual cruelty until one day when there can be no doubt.

We see that people are brave, not only in war but in day to day lives as well. “Why was he [Dad] always super-quiet and super-friendly to horrible people? Didn’t he care that it hurt?” Leo’s Dad does feel the pain but he refuses to stoop to the level of the bullies because then they would have won. He teaches Leo how to be the bigger person.

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The Boy At The Back Of The Class by Onjali Q Rauf

Jun27

True Friendship

The Boy At The Back Of The Class by Onjali Q Rauf is a marvellous debut novel. It is a book that I just could not put down. It is suitable for ages ten years and over. In fact, it is a perfect book for anyone as it highlights the plight of refugees.

The book is written in the first person through the eyes of a nine year old living in London. Her school is a cosmopolitan one where children of all nations welcome the boy at the back of the class.

The only blot on the school landscape is that of the school bullies. We see them through the eyes of a child. We totally understand her thoughts and find her feelings easy to empathise with.

This is a tale of friendship that will go the extra mile in order to help improve a life.

Onjali Q Rauf writes through the eyes of a child, explaining her fears and her questions. There is humor in her words and sometimes well known phrases are heard and misquoted wrongly. “We didn’t say anything after that because sometimes you can tell grown-ups won’t listen to you anymore. Usually they say… ‘I’ve said my peas.’ “

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When The World Was Ours by Liz Kessler

Jun12

Three Lives. One Photograph

When The World Was Ours by Liz Kessler is a powerful historical children’s novel, suitable for ages twelve years and over. Even as an adult, I found this book an incredibly moving read about a time when Europe was veiled by a terrible dark cloud.

The novel opens in Vienna in 1936 as we meet three nine year old friends, Max, Elsa and Leo, two of whom are Jewish. After one perfect day, captured on a photo, the three vow to be best friends forever.

When The World Was Ours is the story of their individual, and collective, war. Each one had different wartime experiences. Their stories are told in the first person from the three alternating points of view.

This is a powerful tale that is grounded in fact. This is a book that must be read in memory of the six million innocents who perished. May they never be forgotten.

As Hitler’s power increased, childhood was left behind. The three friends who vowed to be together forever, separated by the ravings of a madman.

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Nisha’s War by Dan Smith

Jun4

Look For The Light

Nisha’s War by Dan Smith is a terrific children’s historical novel, for ages ten years and over. It is a book that will educate you as you read, whilst also entertaining.

The novel is set in 1942 on Barrow Island in the north east of England. There is a secondary location of a rubber plantation in Malaysia in 1941. We ‘hear’ of events in Malaysia and Singapore as the Japanese invaded. These are written down in Nisha’s journal.

Nisha and her mother left their lives behind, fleeing with only the clothes they wore. We hear how terrifying it was as Japanese planes strafed civilians and the chaos at the docks in Singapore. The welcome from Nisha’s paternal grandmother is rather cold.

Life in Malaysia was bright and colourful. In contrast, life on Barrow Island is cold and grey. There is a veil of heaviness that has nothing to do with Hitler’s bombs.

Fear has imprisoned characters, along with its’ partners, guilt and regret. Nisha has a terrible guilty secret weighing her down. She learns that she is not alone. “Children weren’t the only ones to have worries. They weren’t the only ones to have fear and guilt and pain and sadness.” Lives are burdened and grey.

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