Becoming Grace, written by Hilary McKay, illustrated by Keith Robinson, reviewed by Pippa Goodhart

        What a wonderful book this is! As with all Barrington Stoke books, this story is told simply and efficiently, here in ten short chapters. And yet Hilary McKay's writing feels relaxed and welcoming, vivid and exciting, full of love and fun.

    Rather than plunging straight into the drama of young woman Grace Darling's heroic rowing to rescue those shipwrecked in a storm, here we get to know Grace the child, her big family of characterful siblings, her parents and animals, and their lighthouse keeper life. Grace's childhood experiences all feed into that story finale of the famous rescue, making us feel very personally for Grace and her family. We know and love them by that point, and I read some of that last part of the story through tears because I'd been made to care and believe so strongly.

    Keith Robinson's illustrations match the writing for atmosphere and character and beauty. Here, for example, 'The little lantern they'd hung up rocked so hard in the wind that all the shadows jumped' -

Very highly recommended for almost any age. 

Humble-bragging. Soz - Rowena House

Many apologies, Awfully Big Blog readers, but I’m up to my neck in GCSE and A-level English teaching, and after two abortive attempts to produce a readable piece for this month, I’ve got to accept reality: at the moment I can’t think straight and chew cud!

Instead, here are links to the Historical Association’s Young Quill readers’ reviews of their choices for the 2019 shortlist for novels for 11-13 year old readers - and anyone else who loves a good historical yarn. I’m so proud that The Goose Road sits alongside these fabulous books by Hilary McKay, Catherine Johnson, Emma Carroll, Pippa Goodheart and Stuart Hill.

Congratulations to you all.

Other age categories have super choices, too, so please direct your young people, their teachers, families and friends to all of the honest, insightful reviews. What a great time for our genre! And thank you to the Historical Association, and every one of their reviewers.  

https://www.history.org.uk/primary/categories/924/module/8700/young-quills-reviews-2019/9232/race-to-the-frozen-north

 

https://www.history.org.uk/primary/categories/924/module/8700/young-quills-reviews-2019/9234/secrets-of-a-sun-king

 

https://www.history.org.uk/primary/categories/924/module/8700/young-quills-reviews-2019/9236/sky-chasers

https://www.history.org.uk/primary/categories/924/module/8700/young-quills-reviews-2019/9239/the-first-king-of-england

https://www.history.org.uk/primary/categories/924/module/8700/young-quills-reviews-2019/9243/the-skylarks-war

 

https://www.history.org.uk/primary/categories/924/module/8700/young-quills-reviews-2019/9225/the-great-sea-dragon-discovery

https://www.history.org.uk/primary/categories/924/module/8700/young-quills-reviews-2019/9240/the-goose-road

 

 

Who Would You Be? by Keren David

It’s unusual to be completely thrown by a question from the audience, but a teenager in the audience at my most recent event managed to do just that.

The event was the Hay Festival, my fellow panellists were Sally Nicholls and Anne Cassidy and the question was this: ‘If you could be any other writer, who would you be?’

‘Homer,’ said Sally, for his wonderful stories and use of language.  ‘J K Rowling,’ said Anne, ‘just think of the money.’

I mumbled something about Shakespeare, but it wasn’t really true, and over the last few weeks I’ve been wondering which writer I should have picked. Anne Tyler, whose novel ‘The Accidental Tourist’ is written so beautifully that I have line-envy on every page? Antonia Forest, because then I’d know more about the Marlows, possibly my favourite family in children’s fiction? Hilary McKay for creating the Casson family, who run the Marlows a close second? Lauren Child, because I’d love to have her visual imagination? Jodie Picoult or Joanna Trollope, because I feel I could do what they do, but then I wouldn’t have to do it and I’d have all their royalties.

No. The answer, I realised was simple. I write because I like to create my own stories. I don’t want to write other people’s books or plays, even if they are more lucrative than mine, win more awards, are better written. I don’t want to be another writer, is what I should have said. I just want to work on being an even better version of me.

How about you? Is there an author you’d like to be? 

3 - Keren David on "women's" & "girl's" fiction prizes

Should there be a literary prize specifically for women? Does the Queen of Teen award celebrate or denigrate? Keren tackles these questions and more, in a wonderfully nuanced and well-argued post that is our third most-read:

Orange and Pink by Keren David

The link to most-read post number 2 will be here in an hour!

WIN: 'Caddy's World' - Hilary McKay

Caddy's World is the latest in the acclaimed Casson family series by Hilary McKay.

Hilary McKay revisits the Casson family, but this time with a difference ...
Go back in time ... Caddy is 12, grappling with school, best friends, first boyfriends, younger siblings and the unexpected arrival of one baby Permanent Rose who has arrived in the world a little sooner than expected. While baby Rose lies in critical condition in hospital, life goes on in the unpredictable, colourful Casson household ...