Bookwitch

You simply must read this. I’m not an Independent reader, so thanks to Declan on Crime Always Pays for the link.

Here is the new address for anyone wanting to donate to Siobhan Dowd’s Trust.

The BBC had the good sense to turn to Simply Books for a piece on the You and Yours programme on Good Friday. They spent fifteen minutes discussing children’s books featuring disability, which is about time. It seems that publishers think stupid thoughts like “there’s already a book out there which deals with disability, so we don’t need another one”.

They visited the shop and met up with some of the young reviewers there, who had each been given a book to read. It’s good to hear how well they spoke about their thoughts on the books. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time was one (obviously) and it was given to someone who’d never have considered the book otherwise, as it looked too young.

Among other books recommended I was pleased to find Siobhan Dowd’s The London Eye Mystery. So that we don’t equate disability with Asperger Syndrome; has anyone got suggestions for really good disability books?

The programme can be heard again for the next week on the BBC website.

The witch rarely makes it to such exalted neighbourhoods as Mayfair, but there are exceptions, and Wednesday night was one. I was about to say that it was that nice man David Fickling who invited me, but it was more the lovely Nina Douglas. Anyway, it’s rare to be invited to anything, and that’s quite understandable, really. This time we got together to mark the publication of Siobhan Dowd’s third novel, Bog Child, and also to be reminded of Siobhan’s trust to help children read. I’ve said this before, but it’s worth repeating; send some money to Polly Nolan at the trust. Please!

David Fickling, Polly Nolan, Geoff Morgan, Rachel Billington and Tony Bradman

The venue was very elegant, and the drinks and nibbles were wonderful. As you know, or have long suspected, the witch is next to useless at mingling and stuff, but it went surprisingly well. I talked to people I know and was also introduced to new and interesting book people. Also at last got to talk to Siobhan’s husband Geoff in person.

I arrived too early, which is unacceptable even to a Swede, and a hasty manouvre to the ladies room brought me face to face with Fiona Dunbar, and I have insulted her in some pink way, but we will work on this. I hasten to add that Fiona was as friendly as always. Lee Weatherly was there, too. Not in the ladies, though. Anthony McGowan even recognised me, and Meg Rosoff made a late appearance after traipsing round Mayfair for a bit.

To prevent this looking like a shopping list, I will refrain from mentioning everyone else. Some of the conversations will no doubt be useful here later on. My head is buzzing with ideas and gossip, but with a memory like a grapefruit (or should that be goldfish?) you can never be certain it won’t get forgotten.

You can always hope.

Siobhan Dowd could turn me into a terrorist. And that’s quite a statement from someone as square and principled as the old witch. Mind you, where I was a teenager it was almost taken for granted that you’d support the IRA.

To clarify matters, Siobhan’s new book Bog Child, does not try and convert readers to become terrorists, or even suggest which side you should be on. All Siobhan shows is how easy it was (still is?) to put pressure on people.

Setting a teen novel in Northern Ireland in 1981 isn’t the most tempting beginning to a book. At least not to me. But Bog Child is a master piece. I can’t think of another way to describe it. I should stop being surprised at what Siobhan could do with her writing. I just wish there was a lot more to come, while being grateful for this third story of hers.

Bog Child, as the title suggests, is partly about a very old dead body found in a bog on the Northern Ireland/Eire borders. It’s 1981, and Bobby Sands has just died after his hunger strike. Fergus, the main character, is sitting his A-levels, hoping for a way out of Ireland. His brother is in jail and Fergus is hounded by an old friend of his brother’s on the one hand, and on the other he makes the acquaintance of a British soldier. Having found the body in the bog with his uncle, Fergus feels close to the dead girl, and can hear her voice inside him. He re-visits the burial ground with the expert from Dublin, and falls in love with her daughter Cora.

The early eighties is an odd period to look back to. It’s long enough ago to feel very dated and old, while it’s far too recent to qualify as a historical setting. For the adult who lived through this period it will feel very different, compared to how the teenager of today will see it. To revert to my old and worn sentiment - Bog Child really should be read in schools. It explains far more of the Irish question than anything else I’ve come across.

On a more personal note, it was in the spring of 1981 that I decided to try fasting. Some coincidence.

OK, it’s list time. Was inspired, if that’s the right word, by various lookings back to 2007 in the papers.

Here’s my suggestion for ten best older children’s books of 2007. They are books out in 2007 in Britain, to limit the choice just a little bit. I’ve only considered books I’ve read (obviously). What did I forget?

Burn My Heart, Beverley Naidoo

Crusade, Elizabeth Laird

Falconer’s Knot, Mary Hoffman

Just Listen, Sarah Dessen

King Dork, Frank Portman

London Eye Mystery, Siobhan Dowd

Skulduggery Pleasant, Derek Landy

The Night of the Burning, Linda Press Wulf

The Red Necklace, Sally Gardner

What I Was, Meg Rosoff

Please put me right now. I considered guessing at the best to come for 2008, but as my knowledge only stretches a few months into the new year, it wouldn’t work. And sometimes assumptions about what will be good, is so wrong, that I need to be careful.

Does anyone remember that day in the spring when I got stuck at the bookshop with “only” a pile of new proofs to while away the time with? Well, three of the four are on the list. Hardly surprising I had a hard time on that occasion.

Fiona Dunbar is very funny and very friendly. After I met her at Siobhan Dowd’s memorial service, she responded to my plea for information about her books by sending me her latest. And she understands perfectly how to sign a book.

Toonhead is about seeing into the future, which is also a very witchy thing. Whatever you do as parents, don’t name your son Pablo, unless you’re Spanish. The Pablo in Toonhead has artist parents with a fondness for Picasso. Twelve-year-old Pablo is more into cartoons, once he discovers them. The book’s cover is a dazzling blue and red with a Picasso-ish flavour.

Pablo can see the future, which seems quite good, until it turns out to be quite bad. He, or rather Fiona, has a nice and amusing way with words. I really enjoyed Toonhead, and I’m glad to have discovered a new (to me) author. Check out Fiona’s website - it’s great fun to read.

Only drawback is Fiona will only reply to your email if you tell her your age…

I thought I should pass on the information below, which I have borrowed from Siobhan Dowd’s website. It was lovely of her to be thinking of others when she was so ill. I hope some of you will be able to support her wish to help children to read.

“A trust has been set up to manage all the proceeds from her literary work. The aim of the trust will be to help disadvantaged children improve their reading skills and experience the joy of reading. It will offer financial support to: public libraries; state school libraries (especially in economically challenged areas); children in care; asylum seekers; young offenders and children with special needs.

Cheques to be made payable to The Siobhan Dowd Trust and addressed to The Siobhan Dowd Trust c/o Polly Nolan, Flat 10 Hendred House, Hendred Street, Oxford OX4 2ED.”

Here’s the longlist for the 2008 Carnegie prize. It’s a comforting list of what’s best in children’s books. And it’s lovely to see that Siobhan Dowd is on it. I hope she can see this where she is.

At this stage I won’t even begin to predict. I like too many of them. And usually both the shortlist and the eventual winner are good choices.

AHLBERG, Allan The Boyhood of Burglar Bill
BERTAGNA, Julie, Zenith
BIRCH, Beverley, Rift
BOWLER, Tim Frozen Fire
BROOKS, Kevin Being
COLFER, Eoin The Legend of the Worst Boy in the World
CROSSLEY-HOLLAND, Kevin Gatty’s Tale
DOGAR, Sharon Waves
DOWD, Siobhan The London Eye Mystery
DOWNHAM, Jenny Before I Die
DUFFY, Carol Ann The Hat
FISHER, Catherine Incarceron
FLETCHER, Charlie Stoneheart
GILMAN, David The Devil’s Breath
GLASS, Linzi Ruby Red
HAIG, Matt Shadow Forest
HARDINGE, Frances Verdigris Deep
HOOPER, Mary The Remarkable Life and Times of Eliza Rose
JONES, Diana Wynne The Pinhoe Egg
KENNEN, Ally Berserk
KUIPERS, Alice Life on the Refrigerator Door
LAIRD, Elizabeth Crusade
LANDMAN, Tanya Apache
LANDY, Derek Skulduggery Pleasant
LOTT, Tim Fearless
McCAUGHREAN, Geraldine Peter Pan in Scarlet
McKENZIE, Sophie Girl, Missing
MORPURGO, Michael Alone on a Wide Wide Sea
PAVER, Michelle Soul Eater
PEET, Mal The Penalty
PRATCHETT, Terry Wintersmith
REEVE, Philip Here Lies Arthur
RIDDELL, Chris Ottoline and the Yellow Cat
ROBERTS, Katherine I Am The Great Horse
ROBSON, Mark Imperial Assassin
ROSOFF, Meg What I Was
ROWLING, J.K. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
ST. JOHN, Lauren Dolphin Song
SEDGWICK, Marcus Blood Red Snow White
SINGLETON, Sarah Sacrifice
SUZUMA, Tabitha From Where I Stand
THOMPSON, Kate The Last of the High Kings
VALENTINE, Jenny Finding Violet Park
WILLIS, Jeanne Shamanka
WRAY, Sarah The Forbidden Room

This has been such an Irish week, that I can only continue. I read Siobhan Dowd’s first published book second, which perhaps makes sense, as I believe she wrote it after the London Eye Mystery.

I couldn’t make my mind up to read it. On the one hand, everyone was praising it like mad. On the other hand, the subject matter and the cover did nothing for me. (Must learn not to look at covers. Though I’d have bought the London Eye Mystery for its cover alone…)

Ireland in the 1980s, teenage pregnancies, priests, poverty, ignorance. It didn’t tempt me. In the end it was the knowledge that Siobhan was unlikely to have written a bad book that sorted me out.

Good thing too. Yes, it had all that in it, but it’s a fascinating story. The reader quickly comes to care for Shell and her younger siblings. The village is interesting. Persuasive boys are the same everywhere. So are the gossips.

What’s important is that Shell grows. She learns things and works out what to do. She’s a very strong character.

Read it.