One Day Elsewhere is such a lovely series! Looking at events in history from a child’s point of view is always special. Yes, we know people were arrested during the Dandi March. But what of the children of those arrested? How did they make sense of things happening around them?
Each book in this series is a story woven around a significant event in history, and each story has a child at the centre, making the event more accessible to young readers.
My Father's Courage
A beautifully nuanced story about community, solidarity and bravery, My Father’s Courage looks at the Dandi March from the point of view of young Aslam, who witnesses his father’s arrest. There are so many layers to this story, which make it a heartwarming read.
For one, I love the question that bothers Aslam, Why? Why was my father, whose name means ‘just’ arrested?
Through the story, Aslam discovers that following the rules may not always be the right thing to do. I was also struck by the part where Aslam considers the idea that even though they are Muslim, when a Hindu gives them an idol of Ganapati to take care of them, it comes from a place of belief and faith. It is a moment to stick together, against the British, and rise up in any way they can – together.
A Giant Leap
A Giant Leap was probably my favourite book in this series! June is waiting for a big event. The world is waiting for a big event too, but another one. And this makes June wonder: is the birth of a baby after a journey of nine months in the womb less momentous than the arrival of astronauts on the moon after a journey of three days?
A Giant Leap is full of emotion. Excitement, anticipation, confusion, fear … And each emotion that June experiences is echoed by the world, glued to television sets as Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin land on the moon.
The Black Tide
Another book about solidarity, The Black Tide is rather darker than the others in the series. An oil spill changes everything for Yann. The sea is black, birds are dead, and no one can go out to fish. As the son of a fisherman, Yann sobs as he looks at the destruction around him. Lifeless animals are covered in black glue. Who will save the shore, the coast and everyone’s livelihood?
The answer is people. Nameless, faceless people come together and help. And right there is a ray of hope, ending the book on a note of optimism.
A Cello on the Wall
Sometimes, I find it quite incredible that the Berlin Wall fell during my lifetime. A wall separating East Germany from West Germany seems to belong to a much earlier time, even if we know artificial boundaries have been erected in so many parts of the world. I know, too, that my father went to Germany in 77 on a journalism scholarship. He remembers vividly a bus full of journalists being checked for newspapers because no West Germany news was allowed east of the wall. Yet, it all feels like something that happened long ago.
A Cello on the Wall is the story of young Charlie, named after Checkpoint Charlie that connects east Berlin to west Berlin. Through the story, he discovers that the wall did not always exist, and more – that walls can be broken down when people act together.
All in all, One Day Elsewhere is a beautiful series, which makes historical fiction come alive to readers as young as seven or eight. With the nuanced telling, the information at the end of each book, and the vivid illustrations, I would not be surprised if older children enjoyed the books too – as much as kidlit lovers like me!
The publishers sent me copies of these books in exchange for reviews.
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