A Good Read
The Earth Hums in B Flat Mari Strachan
Gwenni Morgan is twelve, and every night she fl ies in her sleep – over the town and the countryside around, looking down on familiar and not so familiar scenes. She thinks she remembers fl ying while awake as a small child, but somehow she has lost the ability to do so, no matter how hard she tries. And she daren’t try too hard, because Mam doesn’t like any reminders that Gwenni might not be the same as everyone else. Set in rural Wales in the 1950s, Strachan’s debut novel follows Gwenni as the disappearance of a local man begins a chain of events, which reveal some of the secrets that lie under the surface of everyday life.
The novel works in a number of ways. On the one hand, it is at times a darkly comic portrayal of small town Wales. On the other, it is a story about families, their secrets and the after eff ects of war. What holds these strands together is Gwenni herself as narrator, who sees more than she understands, and whose innocence is captured perfectly in Strachan’s often understated prose style.
The supporting characters are equally well drawn – from highly strung Mam, to kind, patient Tada, from the mysterious Aunty Lol, to Alwenna, Gwenni’s best friend, old beyond her years and ‘with no shame!’ Although the solution to the main mystery of the story is clear to the reader from the outset, Strachan holds back just enough to keep us guessing at the other strands which she brings together for the conclusion – I guarantee she will keep you reading until the end.
Clown Quentin Blake
Can you tell a story without words? Well, Quentin Blake can, and in Clown he does.
The book consists entirely of illustrations, in Blake’s well loved and instantly recognisable style. Our hero, Clown, fi nds himself thrown into the dustbin, along with a number of other toys. He escapes, dusts himself off , and sets out to fi nd someone who can help him to rescue his friends. Along the way he fi nds himself in a fancy dress competition, entertaining a rather fi erce looking dog, and possibly fi nding himself a home – all without words.
The beauty of the story is that while Blake’s illustrations carry the narrative forward, the reader can choose their own way of telling it. No two versions are ever the same, as each child brings to the book their own language and rhythms.
Clown himself is wonderfully expressive, and the pictures are enough to have you laughing out loud in several places.
An absolutely marvellous book, which every child should read – and which every adult will enjoy too.
16 To advertise in thewire t. 07720 429 613 e. fi
ona@thewireweb.co.uk
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