Cary Fagan

**Received from the publisher via LibraryThing’s Early Reviewers program

Considering that I just moved into a new house (my very own!), I figured that it was perfect timing to pick up this novel, which follows imaginative Andie, who thinks that her new next door neighbour is the famous author Hans Christian Andersen. I doubt that any of my new neighbours think that I’m anyone famous, but you never know what a kid’s mind can convince themselves of! Andie and her parents moved to the small town of Meaford to live a quiet life away from the hustle and stress of the big city, but raising crickets (her parents’ found-passion and business) and shelling peas aren’t enough to keep Andie occupied. She takes up reading as a way to keep busy and to distract herself from the schoolyard bully, and she finds herself inspired to write poems based on Andersen’s famous literary short stories that reflect her own life and experiences. And then, a miracle happens - a new neighbour moves in next door, and she convinces herself that he is the famous author himself, even going so far as to parade the poor man to school for Career Day and showing him off to her class. Andie might need a bit of a reality cheque, and her let down is pretty harsh when the truth comes out, but the story was a pretty fun read with carefully played narration and petty real world conflicts painting a realistic picture of elementary school life. I definitely bought in to the façade of Andie’s delusion (even if we know from the beginning how the story would play out), and it brought a unique twist to what otherwise would have been a rather shallow depiction of school drama in a small town. Was it the best exploration of childhood imagination: no - I can think of a dozen books with far more complex concepts and better imagery - but I still enjoyed the story well enough to finish it.… (mehr)

This is the story of one refugee family’s harrowing journey, based on author Cary Fagan’s own family history. The graphic novel follows a young Jewish boy, Maurice, and his family as they flee their home in Belgium during the Second World War. They travel by train to Paris, through Spain to Portugal, and finally across the ocean to Jamaica, where they settle in an internment camp.All the while, Maurice is intent on continuing his education and growing up to be a lawyer. He overcomes obstacles to find a professor to study with, works toward a high school diploma while in the camp, and is ultimately accepted to university in Canada. His English dictionary becomes a beloved tool and beacon of hope through the danger and turmoil of the family’s migration.Moments of lightness and humor balance the darkness in this powerful story of one refugee family’s courage and resilience, and of the dictionary that came to represent their freedom.… (mehr)