Faraway Home
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Cover Story
This issue’s cover is from Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s Monkey Puzzle. Written in rhyme, this agreeable story has butterfly helping little monkey to find his mum. Scheffler’s distinctive, entertaining and strongly characterised illustrations make good use of the page as little monkey meets lots of jungle inhabitants before being reunited with his mum. Thanks to Macmillan Children’s Books for their help in producing this July cover.
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Faraway Home
It is 1938, the Nazis have invaded Vienna and Jewish families are experiencing the full force of persecution. Thanks to the Kindertransport scheme, a number of children are enabled to enter Britain: a small minority of these travel on to Northern Ireland, to Millisle Farm in Country Down. From these basic historical facts, Taylor shapes her engrossing story. At its centre are 13 year-old Karl Muller, his younger sister Rosa and their gradual accommodation to their new environment. Soon separated from Rosa (when she goes to a Belfast family), Karl moves through his initial anger and bitterness to a convincingly depicted awareness of the healing potential afforded by the warmth of love and friendship. This is an excellent and unusual addition to the children's literature of World War Two.
