Too Close to Home

LoveReading4Kids Says

Minny has a pretty complicated home life: she lives with her mum, big sister Aisling, Bible-obsessed little sister Selena and baby brother Raymond in her Czech granny’s house, which is now sometimes shared – to her and her sisters’ consternation – with her granny’s new boyfriend. Mum relies on Minny to help both with baby Raymond and Aisling, who is autistic.

None of this is easy, and when her father suddenly reappears after five years of near silence with a new, pregnant partner, it all gets too much.

This warm, convincing portrait of a family facing all sorts of difficulties is almost a contemporary version of Little Women. Readers will sympathise hugely with Minny and Walsh does an excellent job in describing the kind of love that holds families together, no matter what.

Reviewed by Andrea Reece
Andrea Reece has spent almost her entire working life in children’s books, first as publisher, latterly as consultant, project manager and critic.
More reviews by Andrea Reece

About Too Close to Home

Meet Minny: her life is a complicated whirlwind of unbearable PE lessons, annoying friends and impossible-to-live-with siblings. Minny is desperate for some space in a house spilling over with family and hangers-on. She has to contend with her autistic sister Aisling's school bullies, whilst trying to keep her self-absorbed BFF Penny happy, and look normal in front of new boy Franklin. And on top of this, now Dad has announced that he's returning to London - with his new girlfriend.

Read the full description

Find This Book In