"Moving and magical debut weaves an intergenerational tale about girls and their mothers with gaming, guilt, growing up and grief"
Longlisted for the UKLA Book Awards 2021 | Shortlisted for the Children's Book Award 2020 | Shortlisted for the Branford Boase Award 2020
This assured and beautifully written debut perfectly captures that awkward phase of growing up when you feel left behind and uncertain who you are. Safiya is obsessed with gaming and Studio Ghibli, feels guilty for choosing to live with her father after her parent’s amicable divorce and feels her ambitious high achieving mother would prefer the more sophisticated and worldly girls at her school.
Their relationship is very strained, both are such strong and complex characters, and a particularly bad argument sadly precedes her mother’s hospitalisation. Understandably guilt and anxiety fill her waking moments, and, in her dreams, she finds herself witnessing the turbulent relationship between her mother and grandmother in Kuwait and begins to understand the influences on her mother’s character.
The line between these game-like dreams, that are so well evoked, and her daily reality is skilfully blended as Safiya tries to find out more and believes she can find the key to saving her mother. As their back story is gradually revealed, Safiya comes to terms with who she is and can finally understand and accept the truth of her mother’s love. A deeply moving and satisfying coming of age novel that is highly recommended.
The Branford Boase judges said : ‘I love the voice, and the story brought me to tears’; ‘Safiya is a very well rounded, developed character’; ‘a really clever idea, and the story is so well told’; ‘she makes the magic credible’; ‘I was so impressed by the way the friendships developed’.
This place is magic . . . but it's not the sort of magic that comes from wands and spells . . .
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This place is magic . . . but it's not the sort of magic that comes from wands and spells . . . Can piecing together the past help you change the present?
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed A Pocketful of Stars and determined it is suitable for children aged 11-14 years old
A Pocketful of Stars features in the following genres: Featured Books for 13+ readers, Recommendations, Featured Books for 11+ readers
Paperback. £7.19, down from the £7.99 cover price. In Stock.
A Pocketful of Stars was written by Aisha Bushby and published by Egmont Books Ltd an imprint of Egmont UK Ltd
A Pocketful of Stars has 244 pages
£7.19, reduced from £7.99. In Stock.
