Has Anyone Seen Archie Ebbs?

Ten-year-old Archie Ebbs is the non-stop class joker, popular with all and happy with it. But one day his single mother and her two children have to leave their rented house after the landlord decides to sell. Unable to find any affordable alternative, they end up living in temporary accommodation. This provides them with a roof over their heads but little else. Their tiny room in a run-down house is miles from school, has bed bugs, quarrelling next door neighbours and a communal bath and toilet. Overcome by shame, Archie’s older sister makes him swear never to tell anyone how low the family has sunk. Exhausted by the long bus journeys, and aware he sometimes brings the pungent smell of his new accommodation with him, Archie sinks into depression. No longer cracking jokes, he loses his friends and is unable to tell his kind and concerned teacher what is happening to him.

The author then takes a bold step that only half comes off, with Archie gradually turning invisible to all but his immediate family. He is inducted into this new life by Zophia, a Polish girl once in his class also no longer visible given that no-one previously ever took any notice of her. This works well as a metaphor, although continuity becomes something of a problem and literal-minded readers may wonder why no-one seems to notice he has gone from school. But the point is well made; wishing that once popular but now silent and unhappy fellow-pupils would simply disappear is always easier than trying to find out why they have become so before offering sympathy and understanding.  Well up in the intricacies of social media and writing at a good pace, Simon Packham has written a good and moving story that still manages to end happily. What a pity that the housing problems he describes so well seem to be getting worse year on year.