"10 year old carer Audrey’s story told with humour and heart."
April 2024 Book of the Month
This is undoubtedly another winner from the much-acclaimed author of The Boy at the Back of the Class, demonstrating yet again her ability to create authentic characters that readers invest in and to tackle difficult topics with empathy and sensitivity.
Audrey at just 10 years old is one of the unseen, neglected army of primary age carers often living in great poverty. She has huge responsibilities caring for her disabled Mum and her young twin siblings who are as good at keeping their secret as she is. Audrey’s story is recounted in her own words and has the reader totally enthralled in much the same way as it does the police officers listening to her at Scotland Yard.
I don’t want to spoil the story by explaining just how she got there. Suffice it to say that Audrey was bravely trying to find a solution to their situation as her Mum’s health deteriorated. Of course, the reader can see and understand far more than can the innocent and naïve Audrey and through the laughter and tears that her story engenders they will gradually see the immense pressure of her everyday life and be inspired by the creative resilience she shows and the moral strength which she never loses.
Through Amy’s vivid storytelling we get a beautiful sense of the characters and the warm local community around her and especially of Mo, the local postman who keeps secret his own hidden support for Audrey and her family.
The author explains her own fascination with stamps and her admiration for these community champions and I can see this gem of a book inspiring a whole new generation of letter writers.
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From Onjali Q. Rauf, author of The Boy at the Back of the Class, comes another incredible story, told with humour and heart.
Touching on the challenges navigated by children caring for loved ones at home, this story brings into focus their hardships and worries, alongside the unexpected, invisible sources of kindness which can change their lives.
10-year-old Audrey has a secret. A secret no one - not her friends, her teachers, not even her neighbours - knows about. And to keep it hidden she has become one of the best actresses on the planet. As soon as she steps out of the front door, the show is on, and all the world becomes her stage! No-one would ever guess that she is a nurse and doctor for her mam, the family food shopper (and sometimes shoplifter), a medicines collector, and even bedtime-reader for her younger siblings.
But when Audrey's mam gets sicker, things go from difficult to impossible. If Mam's condition doesn't improve, there's a chance the family will be separated. And so Audrey becomes determined to find a way of to get her mam the best treatment available, so that they won't ever need to be apart. The only problem is, the treatment will cost her thousands. Thousands that Audrey doesn't have.
As Audrey sets about trying to make her dream for her family come true with a plan that involves her precious stamp collection, an unsuspecting postal system, and a journey all the way from Wales to London, someone else on the street embarks on a secret mission of their own. One that will alter Audrey's life - and that of her family - forever.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed The Letter with the Golden Stamp and determined it is suitable for children aged 9-12 years old
The Letter with the Golden Stamp features in the following genres: Books of the Month, Recommendations, Featured Books for 11+ readers, PSHE: Family Issues, Personal Social Health Economic (PSHE), Children’s, Teenage and Educational, PSHE: Special educational needs and disability (SEND), Stories about Family and Friends, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Featured Books for 9+ readers
The Letter with the Golden Stamp is available in Paperback
The Letter with the Golden Stamp was written by Onjali Q. Raúf and published by Orion Children's Books an imprint of Hachette Children's Group
The Letter with the Golden Stamp has 282 pages
£8.09
