LoveReading Says
LoveReading Says
“All children are afraid of the dark,” says ten-year-old Mafalda sagely, and she knows this more than most, for her world is misting over. At some point in the next six months she will lose her sight to Stargardt Disease. Mafalda tries to get on with life but, as the days pass, the mist’s darkness descends ever faster, leaving her increasingly lonely.
The novel’s universal, book-for-all-ages power has echoes of The Little Prince. Indeed, de Saint-Exupéry’s classic is referenced here by the inspiring one-of-a kind Estella, a school caretaker Mafalda befriends, who advises her to find her rose, “the thing that’s essential to you”, just like the Little Prince. Mafalda measures her vision in paces from a very special cherry tree. And, movingly, the book’s five parts are headed with titles that point to the deterioration of her sight, starting with Part One Seventy Metres, the distance from which she can see the cherry tree as the novel begins.
Estella delivers further vital advice later in the novel: “To live in fear is not to live at all”, and it’s Estella who helps make a truly magical, heart-rending ending. Readers of all ages will be drawn deep into Mafalda’s poignantly pitch-perfect narrative. Younger readers will identity with, for example, how she knows when her parents are discussing something important but can’t quite grasp the meaning, while adult readers will fill in the blanks Mafalda is left puzzling over. Inspired by the author's own experience of Stargardt Disease, this is a dazzlingly tender and timeless tale of love and courage. - Joanne Owen
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The Distance Between Me and the Cherry Tree Synopsis
Can Mafalda find a way through a seemingly dark future and still go to school, play football and look after her beloved cat? With the help of her family, and her friends, Mafalda needs to discover the things that will be important to her when her sight has failed. A moving, empowering tale of courage and determination that will inspire young and old.
About This Edition
ISBN: |
9781471407550 |
Publication date: |
9th August 2018 |
Author: |
Paola Peretti |
Publisher: |
Hot Key Books |
Format: |
Paperback |
Pagination: |
208 pages |
Primary Genre |
Young Adult Fiction
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Recommendations: |
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Press Reviews
Paola Peretti Press Reviews
A simply told, bitter-sweet story, with a powerful poetic message -- Jacqueline Wilson
Author
About Paola Peretti
Paola Peretti is Italian and was born in the province of Verona, where she still lives today. She studied literature and philosophy and graduated in publishing and journalism in 2011 with a thesis on gender discrimination in literature. Between 2015 and 2016 she attended the Palomar School of creative writing in Rovigo. During and after her studies she worked as a waitress, bartender, baby sitter and teacher, while writing articles for the local newspaper. Fifteen years ago, she discovered that she was affected by a rare genetic illness called Stargadt Disease which causes progressive vision loss, and eventually blindness. There is no cure to date. She is currently teaching Italian to immigrant children from Senegal, Nigeria, China, Romania, India, Pakistan, Brazil, Moldova and Russia. The Distance Between Me and the Cherry Tree is her first novel. Denise Muir has been translating from Italian toEnglish since 1998 and ventured into literary translation in 2014, when Litropublished her first short story translation. Since then she has publishedpicture and educational books with Italian publishers, championed Italianchildren's novels and published a YA novel with Barrington Stoke's Bucket List.Denise writes a blog about inclusive children's books, was involved in theTranslators in Schools program, works with local libraries to promote readingin the community, performs as a storyteller in Italian and English, andcollaborates with the Italian Children Writers Association, Outside In World,small Italian independent presses and a literary agency publishing strongvoices for young readers. She has maintained her ties with the broadertranslation profession serving as coordinator of the ITI Italian Network. Denise divides her time between Edinburgh and Abruzzo.
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