I've already shared two lists of books, but I think it's important to say - again - that reading levels differ widely, and in multiple ways. For instance, I know that as a child, my linguistic level (in English) was higher than that of some of my peers, but I often read books for children who were younger. I was still reading what was clearly children's literature, while friends of mine had 'graduated' to murder, romance and thrillers. A list of any kind must be taken with a pinch of salt, and this one is no different.With that out of the way, here are six young adult books I read and loved last year. Ben's parents want to conduct an experiment. They want to study different aspects of the same thing - his father is a behavioural scientist who is convinced that chimpanzees can learn a human language if the environment is conducive, and Ben's mother is writing a … [Read more...]
Welcome to Nowhere
When I read books like Welcome to Nowhere, part of me reads with a sinking heart for I realise that I don't have the courage to tell stories like this. Yes, I do know that every story matters and each one has a role to play, but powerful books like this are in a class of their own.Elizabeth Laird's books are exceptional. Look at Oranges in No Man's Land, set in Lebanon, or The Witching Hour, a wonderful work of historical fiction. Then there's the wonderful YA book Red Sky in the Morning and the very different Paradise End.Welcome to Nowhere is set in war-torn Syria and told from the point of view of twelve-year-old Omar, an enterprising youngster with dreams of becoming a big businessman. He's smart, friendly and confident, so the stage is set for him to achieve his dreams.Except that civil war breaks out. Omar has always been advised not to talk about politics, but it … [Read more...]