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The Angel Collector

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Bali Rai

Corgi

0552553026

June 2007

Opening shortly after the disappearance of Sophie, ‘The Angel Collector’ sees her boyfriend, Jit, and Sophie’s parents paralysed by the uncertainty as to what fate might have befallen her. Need for a definite resolutions drives Jit to lead his own enquiries into his friend’s alleged abduction.
Bali Rai’s descriptions of the various dubious ideologies associated with the cult in the book, one of the prime suspects believed to have been implemented with the disappearance of Sophie, shows a clear understanding of the social instability caused by rhetoric and dogma that disassociates itself from even the most basic of humanist ideals. The politicised nature of the cult , a group of individuals forming an enclave of their own rigid and unquestioning beliefs, makes for a compelling, wholly convincing and engaging and thoroughly enraging narrative.
A surprise wholesale turn in narrative direction gives a highly unexpected twist in the tale. This device, however, is neither entirely satisfactory, nor presented in a manner that makes it credible within the story.
Ironically, the nature of prejudice that Rai’s prose incisively negotiates with regard to race is seemingly arbitrarily switched. Implication that the motivation for extreme behaviour carried out by one of the main characters is derived from a gender confusion that stems from infanthood is a facet of the novel that makes for a convenient explanation, but one whose superficial psychological depth succeeds only in making these passages emotionally cold, lacking in sympathy and slipping into the types of prejudice they have so skilfully manoeuvred where race is concerned.
As with Bali Rai’s previous fiction, this is a novel filled to capacity with action, pace and adventure. It is an admirably written and compelling thriller. Nonetheless, failure to engage with possible motivations for the anti-hero’s extreme behaviour makes ethics overt, simplistic and unredeeming. The cumulative effect of this is corosion of the base of an incisive expose of prejudice through a stereotyped view of ‘perversion’ that endures long after the novel has been read undermining what otherwise might well have been exemplary.

Jamie and Angus Together

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Anne Fine

Walker Books

1406301809

May 2007

Innocence and experience are juxtaposed and played off one another with expert brilliance in the relationship Anne Fine develops between Jamie and his favourite soft toy, Angus. Acting as a siphon for the turn of phrase and thoughts that predominate amongst the adults that surround him, Jamie assumes a paternalistic role over Angus, whom as a consequence of transference on the part of Jamie, affects the role and guise of child. Interplay between these shifting identities creates the dynamism and drive for the stories both in the original collection and in this new volume, ‘Jamie and Angus Together’.
Six new stories see Jamie struggling to protect Angus from the boisterous Bella, learning to paint, taking a post-Christmas, countryside ramble with Uncle Edward, deciding a means for organising his book collection ‘ the one chosen incidentally will have librarians the length and breadth of the country curling their toes in anguish! ‘ and ultimately growing older and the possibility of his feeling a little more distanced from Angus’
Character descriptions are swiftly sketched but are memorable and are tinged with the warmth of love and affection under which development flourishes and is best nurtured. A childhood idyll, these are perfect stories about a perfect friend and in whom mutual, unconditional trust and care is shared, perfect for reading aloud and sharing, perfect for young and old alike with their subtle observations on childhood, overall, just perfect!

The Boyhood of Burglar Bill

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Allan Ahlberg

Puffin Books

0141382848

Mar 2007

‘I had this bald, mouldy-looking tennis ball which I dribbled with on the way to school till it disappeared down a drain. I even had a ball that I’d made myself out of cut-up rings from an inner tube wrapped round a core of silver-paper sweet wrappers. It was hardly bigger than a golf ball and bounced about, all that rubber, like a live thing.’

Continuing the social history gleaned from Allan Ahlberg’s childhood that was begun in “My Brother’s Ghost‘, this book is set in 1953, the Coronation year, the stimuli for the Coronation Cup, a football tournament local to Oldbury in which the young Ahlberg took part.
Childhood memories and recollections are vividly realised by Ahlberg who describes with verve and zeal anecdotes surrounding the football matches ‘ stolen kits accidentally dyed purple, his mother’s dressing gown-clad nocturnal meanderings’ Nostalgia figures highly in this deftly written account of a ’50s childhood that succeeds in going beyond mere reminiscence to explore social setting, character motivation and childhood from the heightened standpoint of more matured experience and understanding.

Give Me Shelter

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ed. Tony Bradman

Francis Lincoln

1845075226

Feb 2007

Composed of eleven individual stories extending from the reaches of the Democratic Republic of Congo to a more familiar London, ‘Give Me Shelter’ provides admirable insight into the lives and struggles of those seeking asylum.
There are stories here outlining the reasons and motivations behind asylum; war, political unrest and instability, the promulgation of racist and prejudiced doctrines. Experiences of those seeking asylum is explored, displacement, cultural, religious and language barriers that impede integration, societal expectations of wholesale assimilation and familial fragmentation. These are juxtaposed against the opinions of nationals, this occurs most startlingly in Gaye Hicyilmaz’ ‘A nice quiet girl’, based on her own feelings and experiences as a child.
Gradual movement towards understanding and towards compassion are the threads that unify each of these stories. Each of the authors contributing to the collection has written a brief introduction that gives context and colour to the stories allowing children to live vicariously the lives of peers whose childhoods have been disturbed and disrupted by adult conflicts in the world which they inhabit.
The Frances Lincoln list represents a veritable treasure trove of world views, belief systems and personalities. The crowning success of this in recent years has been their new fiction list and “Give Me Shelter” is the undisputed jewel within this crown. At a time when media reportage upon issues of asylum remains both polarised and parochial, the threads of humanity woven throughout a book like form the base of particularly strong moral bonds and the fabric of civilisation. Here is a book that should be made univesally available as a declaration of care and compassion in every bookshop, library, school and home across the land.

Zenith

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Julie Bertagna

Young Picador

0230015344

Feb 2007

‘What if the world is all ocean’ What if this is all there is? Ocean and ocean and ocean. I don’t like it Mara. I hate this wild world.’

Multiple narration and the three interwoven story threads within ‘Zenith’ gives the novel a widened breadth of focus, an extension of influence, that lends it a power and scope far and beyond that of its already impressive predecessor, ‘Exodus’.
An increasingly desperate world climate ‘ politically and geographically ‘ forms the electric backdrop to ‘Zenith’. Driven by the ardent belief that Greenland will have risen above the waters with the melting of the ice-caps, Mara sails a course of attempted salvation for herself and her people (the latter forming an increasingly insurgent crew).
Bertagna’s greatest skill as the author of this remarkable novel is successfully breathing a transcending sense of hope, courage and, over-arching, compassion out from the chaos, corruption and crisis that circumstances have engendered.
Bleakness of the world and the sheer desperation of the plights to salvage life through differentiated means of settlement and abode powered by an urgency for survival is belied by the power, lyricism and poetry of the author’s writing which stimulate thought and thoughtfulness. The ending leaves readers breathless in anticipation of a climax that must surely follow for this climate-change epic’?

The Museum Book

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Jan Mark, ill. Richard Holland

Walker Books

1844287491

Apr 2007

A tribute to human knowledge and achievement, Jan Mark’s final completed work, ‘The Museum Book’ forms a fitting epitaph to an author whose work constantly challenged and was illuminated by a sense of curiousity and intrigue. As with her fictional output, the unique quality coursing through this extraordinary book is the intricate connections between experience and understanding that Mark has teased out.
‘The Museum Book’ insinuates the desire for macrocosmic realisation, yet accomplishes this down to the most minute detail, outlining the importance of individual experience and knowledge.
Richard Holloway has done a sterling job in epitomising through his illustrations, the wealth and breadth of knowledge that museums provide us access towards, and in making visual Mark’s verbal challenges as to what constitutes a museum, and to looking beyond the mere fabric and architecture of the buildings themselves.
Not always easy, or comfortable, consideration is given here to the nature of a museum and the plunderous acts that have sometimes underpinned their collation throughout history.
Here is a lasting gift, a tribute and testament to the skills of an author whose creative output, rather than sales figures, marks her out as one of the most remarkable authors of recent years. A welcome and an arguably necessary addition for the bookshelf of the everyman, whether they be young or old…

Pelle’s New Suit

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Elsa Beskow

Floris Books

0863155847

Feb 2007

One of the founders of Swedish children’s literature, Elsa Beskow reported drawing joint influence for her work from her own childhood experience and from the fairytales and folklore told to her by her grandmother. Floris books who have not only brought these classics of European children’s literature to the English market, have now made one of her classic picture books ‘Pelle’s new suit’ available in a new mini book format, meanings it affordability makes this treasure of translated literature, accessible to many…
Extended across from the baseline of the animal provider ‘ the sheep with his wool ‘ Pelle must exchange his own skills, trade and time to acquire the assistance needed by others in this picture books that operates as a child’s externalised sense of social conscience. Roles in society, and the need to utilise our own abiities to gain access to the skills base of those surrounding us makes this a perennially valuable tale. Experience for Pelle placed in a Christian context as the newly made blue suit is completed just in time for Sunday.
A sweet little picture book whose subtle Christian message does not overshadow its imperative for social adeptness through the meeting of our needs and desires. Clear naturalistic illustrations make this book as fresh today as upon initial publication in the early 20th Century.
Look out for ‘The Sun Egg’, another of Beskow’s classic picture books made available in miniature format by Floris books, whereby the woodland community pontificate over the possible background and nature to the sun egg. The reality of this being something much more commonplace and the mystery weaved around it and the mythical and magical overtures cast around it make this a delightful and unexpected picture book.

Charlie Small: The Perfumed Pirates of Perfidy

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Nick Ward

David Fickling Books

0385611234

Mar 2007

‘We’d had enough of cleaning and cooking while the men went off and had all the fun. So Ivy called a meeting of all the pirate wives, and we decided to become pirates ourselves. The first all-lady pirate crew in the world. And we’ve not done any cleaning since!’

Found encased in a solid block of ice on the Himalayas, Charlie Small’s second journal recounts our heroes detainment and endeavours to escape the treacherous gang of lady pirates who have become his captives.
This second exciting adventure sees Charlie do battle with a deadly sea slug, become the most wanted felon on the high seas, attempt a rescue attempt from the clutches of Turncoat Craik, pit his wits against a crew of ghost pirates and find cunning use for a puffer fish.
Still unclear as to the exact nature or cause of his current predicament and term of leave from home, Charlie strives to regain possession of his mobile telephone, the only device via which contact with home ‘ albeit a somewhat repetitive and unfulfilling contact ‘ is made’
More excitement and adventure on the high seas than you can shake a curious and inventive Jakeman’s clockwork limpet at, keep your eyes peeled for the next thrilling instalment’!

Tug of War

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Catherine Forde

Egmont

1405220058

Apr 2007

Based around the true life experiences of her grandmother, dual influences are played out in Catherine Forde’s latest novel, ‘Tug of War’. Set in the near future, the book sees the United Kingdom subject to repeated and increasingly endangering attacks from terrorism. Ship building in Glasgow makes the city a particular target, thus it is that that siblings John and Molly are preparing to be evacuated to safety.
Experiences for the two siblings from this point forth could scarcely be more divergent. John is evacuated to Mr Nott’s where he is abused and used as forced labour. Molly meanwhile is ‘molly’-coddled by the excesses of Pernilla, a larger than life, glamorous individual who teaches at the local school and is keen to lavish upon her evacuee the source behind each of her every whim and desire. Personal intent behind this becomes increasingly clear as Pernilla’s efforts to extend influence become ever more overt and desperate.
Caught between her own mother and Pernilla who, unable to have children of her own, is keen to adopt Molly and is most persuasive about the type of lifestyle she could expect with her, Molly faces a difficult choice . Town is played out versus country, modernity versus the pastoral, indusrial versus agricultural and emotional versus materialism as Molly is forced to assess what is important to her.
Skilfully observed and rich in its emotional depth and charge, the importance of this book is its ability to stimulate real consideration as to the modern meaning and worth of family ties in the develoment of childhood.

Barnaby Grimes

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Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell

Doubleday

0385611889

Jun 2007

‘I heard a hiss. Then a low, menacing snarl. And as the clouds cleared again and the moon shone down, I found myself staring into a pair of blazing yellow eyes.’

Proving once more their exceptional talent for realising their own worlds down to the most minute, vivid and therefore utterly convincing detail, ‘Barnarby Grimes‘, the first book in a new series, sees their work and unique collaborative techniques transposed from the fantasy oeuvre to a more historic setting.
The eponymous Barnaby Grimes is a ‘Tick Tock’ lad, a delivery boy of sorts, whose method of ambulation is across the roof-scapes and skyline of the city. This provides ample helpings of cliff-hanger suspense and tensions in addition to providing spectacular striding panoramas across the city.
The city is replete in its surface veneer of finery and elegance, yet throbbing beneath it is a seedy underbelly of deep, dark secrets, of corruption and power-struggles that has the transformative powers to imbue readers with the sensibilities of an intrepid explorer and an astute sleuth.
The prose is almost poetic, imbued as it is with rhythm and pace and a crystalline crispness. The narrative is lithe and lively. It leaps and bounds as does the lyncathrope that tears at the heart of the novel. Interplay between story and illustration brings to mind a more dynamic version of the dialectic between Harry Furniss and Charles Dicken!
Rich in literary allusion, the book has shades of Stephenson’s ‘Jekyll and Hyde‘, a tinge of Barrie’s dark humour with the ‘Tick Tock’ referencing Hook’s nemesis, the crocodile that swallowed the clock thus emphasising the importance of time in delineating childhood, societal cross-sections that bring to mind Dickens and of course the werewolves themselves, a construct of European folkloric legends with possible literary originations in the Icelandic Volsunga Saga. A thought-provoking and highly engaging new read penned by the hands of one of the most exciting creative collaborations in children’s literature.