Thanks to The Write Reads for inviting me on the blog tour for this charming and thought-provoking Middle Grade novel. Thanks to The Write Reads and Neem Tree Press for my review copy – opinions, as always, are my own.
This is a story about an unlikely friendship forged in difficult circumstances. Norah Day is a sweet, nature-loving girl – one who lives in temporary accommodation with her father and often goes hungry. In contrast, Adam Sinclair seems to have it all – caring parents, big house, his own treehouse. However, Adam is recovering from cancer and is being given no freedom by his overprotective mother – he’s not even allowed outside his own garden. These two children bond over rescuing a nest of baby birds – but their rescue efforts don’t stop there, especially in view of the coming flood.
I loved that the story is told in alternating chapters by the two main characters – this gives readers a great chance to get to know the issues that each of them is facing, plus see events from two different perspectives. In particular, it was really sad seeing the misunderstandings that arose in the early chapters as Norah felt that Adam was judging her poverty.
Norah is a brilliant character. She is facing so much adversity, yet tries so hard to remain positive and care for any animals that need her help – she is selfless and tries her hardest even in the face of bullying and her precarious living situation. It’s tough to be in her world of food banks, Bed and Breakfasts and not knowing where she will sleep that night. She’s also a charmingly naive narrator, only just beginning to question whether her father really has all the answers.
The portrayal of Adam is also touching – he has overcome illness, but is left with problems due to his treatment and is struggling to regain his confidence. He is very sheltered and is longing for freedom – a freedom that Norah has too much of as she whiles away the hours alone in the local park while her father searches for jobs.
It’s really lovely to read about how these two very different characters find that they actually have a lot in common – the tentative steps towards friendship are well-written and heartwarming. Once the novel starts to build up pace towards the end, the reader is really given the sense that these two figures are actually good for each other – they each bring something different to the friendship and teach each other important lessons.
I’d recommend this to fans of charming, heartwarming Middle Grade fiction. There is so much adversity in the book, but Williamson doesn’t allow the story to be depressing or dark – it’s always warm and hopeful, seen through the optimism and naivety of the child narrators. It’s a gorgeous story of friendship, growing up and life lessons – and I recommend it highly.
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