Much-awaited paperback publication of this topical and heart-warming book.
“Be strong, my Abela.”
These are the last words of Abela’s mother in their HIV/Aids stricken African village, where it seems that to live or to die, to be sick or to be healthy, is just a matter of chance. It takes all Abela’s strength to survive her Uncle Thomas’s scheming to get to Europe, but what will be her fate as an illegal immigrant?
“I don’t want a sister or brother,” thinks Rosa in England, when her mother tells her that she wants to adopt a child. Could these two girls ever become sisters? Is there room in Rosa’s family for an African orphan haunted by lions? Is there room in their hearts?
Abela is a powerful and moving story influenced by a visit to Africa, from the Carnegie Medal-winning author Berlie Doherty writing at her very best.
Author Biography
Berlie Doherty was born in Liverpool and writes for adults and children. Her first book, HOW GREEN YOU ARE! was published in 1982 and she has been a full-time, compulsive writer of novels, stories, poems and plays since then. She has written over forty books. In 2002 Berlie Doherty was awarded an honorary doctorate at the University of Derby for excellence in her field. She lives in Edale in the Peak District, where she spends her spare time walking, day-dreaming, and struggling to learn piano, violin and tin whistle.
Reviews
An involving, moving and, above all, relevant novel that ought to be in every school library in the land and put into the hands of as many children as possible.,Excellent . . . what could be an unbearably sad tale is made compulsively readable by a writer of grace and skill.,A very moving book and highly recommended.,The strength of the story is the author's empathy with all her characters, and her skill in engaging the reader with their feelings,Well-written, with very real characters, this latest Doherty title is a heart-breaking yet ultimately hopeful examination of HIV/Aids, child trafficking and adoption. (SEASON HIGHLIGHT),Touching and well-told story,Beautifully written . . . Highly recommended for class reading,An extremely enjoyable book, highly recommendable. I loved it.,An enticing narrative told in two parallel stories that converge in a satisfying ending.,A fascinating read for young people with a social conscience.
