Author Lesley Parr recommends five brilliant books that centre a friendship between a child and an adult
Lesley Parr
As a writer of stories set in the past, I firmly believe that, whatever the era, people are people. Fundamentally, we don’t change, it’s the world which changes around us. When we’re children, any grown-up can seem ancient; it’s sometimes hard to imagine they were ever young. But true friendship, as I show in The Last House in the Row, can grow between people born in very different times. Bonds can be formed, common interests found, if we only give others a chance.
I grew up in a small, close-knit community, where children often had ‘aunties’, ‘uncles’ and ‘cousins’ – no biological connection needed! The people who care about us and take an interest in us by choice can play just as important a role in our lives as our blood relations.
In every book I’ve written so far, I’ve created a relationship between a child and an older character who is not biologically related to them. This isn’t something I set out to do. In fact, it’s only by reflecting for this blog post I realised I’d done it (ah, the mind of a non-planning author!). My stories are always, first and foremost, about people and we can learn so much from each other, no matter our age.
Here, I recommend books which demonstrate strong relationships between young and older people. Or trees…Or gorillas… Or something indefinable. Bear with me! In each story, the characters have found unlikely alliances and/or lasting ties across generations.
Willie Beech, a lonely and deprived child, is evacuated to a tiny English village just before the Second World War, and finds himself living with reclusive widower Thomas Oakley.
Let’s start with the obvious, the story against which all evacuee stories should be measured: Goodnight Mister Tom by Michelle Magorian. A heartbreaking, unflinching and incredibly beautiful story of two people who’ve been battered by life. Impoverished evacuee Willie Beech and prickly man Tom Oakley are thrown together by circumstance. It’s Mister Tom’s straightforward and common-sense approach to Willie’s needs, and the way the boy slowly opens up to him, which ultimately makes them family.
In Skellig by David Almond, lonely, frustrated Michael discovers a dusty, arthritic old man (with wings; this is the something indefinable) in the garage of his house. Together with new friend Mina, he sets out to help Skellig and, in the process, learns how to cope with the difficulties of his own life. This is a classic for a reason; an incredible story, brilliantly told.
Leaves by Stephen Hogtun is, quite simply, a lovely book both in words and illustration. Its message about the passing of time, saying goodbye, and making the most of what we learn along the way has many layers of meaning – as all clever picture books do. It’s a story which uses the relationship between a sapling and an old tree to address the horribly difficult and complicated process of grief. And you don’t have to be a small person to feel the healing power of this book. It’s a reminder that those we love are never truly lost; they are a part of us.
It’s the Second World War and while everyone else is evacuated to the countryside, 12-year-old Joseph ends up in the city with a woman who owns a zoo. A beautifully written historical adventure story, which will take readers on an emotional and exciting journey.
When the Sky Falls by Phil Earle is a World War Two story centred around an angry young boy, Joseph, who finds himself living with cantankerous Mrs F; a woman who seemingly only cares about the animals in her zoo. Their relationship is not dissimilar to that of Willie and Mister Tom, in that they grow to care for and understand each other over time. Joseph is drawn further into Mrs F’s world through his unlikely connection with Adonis, a silverback gorilla (arguably, an intergenerational friendship is happening here too). By the very nature of being in captivity, the animal is displaced, alone and angry. Just like Joseph. The love he has for Adonis mirrors that of Mrs F, giving them common ground. Superbly drawn characters and a gripping plot make this an undoubted classic of the future.
Bobby wants his nana-ji and Trevor to be friends because they both love football. A heart-warming story of community and kindness – and football! Dyslexia friendly, and appealing to all readers.
Here’s one for the ‘humour and heart’ category: Bobby Bains Plays a Blinder by Bali Rai (illustrated by Daniel Duncan) is the story of a football-mad boy. Partly because of his Sikhism and partly because he’s a really nice kid, Bobby finds a way to make the lives of many older people better; particularly his Nana-ji and a man called Trevor. I love it when music brings people together and by using reggae and sport, Rai weaves together themes of loneliness, loss and hope into a sweet and often funny story. Duncan’s fun illustrations are the perfect match (no pun intended!) and my favourite picture is one which depicts a photo of Nana-ji in his youth, showing us that fashions may change, but the essence of what it is to be young is eternal. Helping children to see that older people were once young people is key to making those intergenerational connections.
The Last House in the Row by Lesley Parr, illustrated by Richard Johnson, is out now.
