When Plato (Jane's supportive friend in The Outside Child, 1989) accompanies his mother Maria to her father Nikos's funeral in rural Greece, Plato's self-image is thrown into chaos. His family history is complex: because Nikos betrayed guerrillas to the Nazis in order to save hostage civilians in his village of Molo, he's still scorned—while Welsh grandfather ``CLJ,'' who escaped the Nazis to hide with the help of Plato's great-aunt Elena, is revered. Along the way to reconciling himself to Nikos's terrible, still debatable choice, Plato squabbles—at the rare times they're together—with his sorely missed sister Aliki (who lives in New York with their dad; Plato and Maria live in Britain); learns more about his past from Elena and CLJ; grows- -suddenly and emblematically; and, on a second visit to Greece (with Jane as guest), gets his own chance at heroism when Molo is almost destroyed by fire (cf. Carrie's War). Interestingly, heroism is demanded of everyone on this occasion, so no one wins distinction for it (or is allowed to enjoy hubris), though Plato's family is finally accepted as a result; and it remains to the nice, rich Greek who's been courting Maria, to help Plato grasp the truth: more than bits of Greek and Welsh, he can be himself, though it's ``harder than belonging to a tribe...[to be] A Citizen of the World.'' The conclusion may be a bit tidy; but the path that Bawden's wonderfully individual characters take to it has enough unexpected turns to keep readers enthralled, while the subtext concerning the vexed nature of heroism—and nationality—is provocatively explored. (Fiction. 10-14)
Pub Date: Oct. 18, 1993
ISBN: 0-395-66972-3
Page Count: 166
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 1993
A world-class charmer, Clements (The Janitor’s Boy, 2000, etc.) woos aspiring young authors—as well as grown up publishers, editors, agents, parents, teachers, and even reviewers—with this tongue-in-cheek tale of a 12-year-old novelist’s triumphant debut. Sparked by a chance comment of her mother’s, a harried assistant editor for a (surely fictional) children’s imprint, Natalie draws on deep reserves of feeling and writing talent to create a moving story about a troubled schoolgirl and her father. First, it moves her pushy friend Zoe, who decides that it has to be published; then it moves a timorous, second-year English teacher into helping Zoe set up a virtual literary agency; then, submitted pseudonymously, it moves Natalie’s unsuspecting mother into peddling it to her waspish editor-in-chief. Depicting the world of children’s publishing as a delicious mix of idealism and office politics, Clements squires the manuscript past slush pile and contract, the editing process, and initial buzz (“The Cheater grabs hold of your heart and never lets go,” gushes Kirkus). Finally, in a tearful, joyous scene—carefully staged by Zoe, who turns out to be perfect agent material: cunning, loyal, devious, manipulative, utterly shameless—at the publication party, Natalie’s identity is revealed as news cameras roll. Selznick’s gnomic, realistic portraits at once reflect the tale’s droll undertone and deftly capture each character’s distinct personality. Terrific for flourishing school writing projects, this is practical as well as poignant. Indeed, it “grabs hold of yourheart and never lets go.” (Fiction. 10-12)
Pub Date: June 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-689-82594-3
Page Count: 160
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2001
This profoundly moving story is all the more impressive because of its basis in fact. Although the story is fictionalized, its most harrowing aspects are true: “Today, more than two hundred million children between the ages of five and seventeen are ‘economically active’ in the world.” Iqbal Masih, a real boy, was murdered at age 13. His killers have never been found, but it’s believed that a cartel of ruthless people overseeing the carpet industry, the “Carpet Mafia,” killed him. The carpet business in Pakistan is the backdrop for the story of a young Pakistani girl in indentured servitude to a factory owner, who also “owned” the bonds of 14 children, indentured by their own families for sorely needed money. Fatima’s first-person narrative grips from the beginning and inspires with every increment of pride and resistance the defiant Iqbal instills in his fellow workers. Although he was murdered for his efforts, Iqbal’s life was not in vain; the accounts here of children who were liberated through his and activist adults’ efforts will move readers for years to come. (Fiction. 10-14)
Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2003
ISBN: 0-689-85445-5
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Atheneum
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2003
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
