I knew Helen Parker years ago when she lived in Cyprus, so when I heard that her first children’s novel had been published, I was keen to read it. It took a while to get hold of it, and then it sat on my shelves for many months before I finally picked it up to read. I had no idea what to expect.
The story is narrated by 12-year-old Ruth who has been living in Cairo with her widowed mother for as long as she can remember. But her mother is keen for Ruth to go to secondary school in her native Scotland, and since her job in Egypt has ended, they make the move. Ruth isn’t happy at all, particularly having to say goodbye to her best friend..
Once in Scotland, Ruth tries to settle into a huge high school that bears little resemblance to the small, friendly international school she had been attending in Cairo. She is put in charge of a girl called Lucy who does her best, but the two seem to have little in common. And there’s a bit of teasing, too. However it’s not a school story, so we don't see much of what goes on there, and Ruth does start to settle down in her class.
Ruth’s mother, who works as a nurse, is shocked to see a patient, badly burned and very sick, whom she recognises. He used to work in a hospital where her late husband was a doctor. Perhaps too much of a coincidence for reality, but it didn’t worry me. Joe, the young man in question, has lost most of his memory and has very little English. But it seems clear that he’s an asylum seeker, probably one who entered the country illegally in the back of someone’s truck or crammed into a boat.
It’s a children’s book, so Joe’s injuries are only mentioned in passing, without gory details. But the situation is all too realistic. Ruth’s mother is concerned, knowing he needs to be healthier and with some memory of why he’s applying before he has any chance of a reasonable life. She knows someone who needs a house-sitter for a few months, so she pulls a few strings, determined to hide Joe’s status - and existence - as far as she can, while she cares for him and helps him return to health.
Since the book is written from Ruth’s perspective, we see Joe through her eyes, and also get to know some of the young people in the area whom she befriends - and a few who don’t seem to like her. I didn’t feel particularly drawn to any of them. It’s not a long novel and none of the characters, other than Ruth herself, felt entirely three-dimensional. Joe himself is shown as a likeable, intelligent person but I couldn’t much relate to him.
However it’s plot-based rather than character-based, and is quite an exciting story. There's an underlying Scriptural theme related to light and darkness, of the importance of living in the truth and being honest - yet with some grey areas, such as keeping Joe’s status a secret until he grows stronger. It raises interesting questions about whether it’s sometimes morally right to deceive officials. It also demonstrates, in an entirely different thread, how easy it can be to be drawn into other people’s lies which can spiral out of control. There’s a definite Christian focus, but it's quite low-key without being preachy.
Since the protagonist and her friends are twelve, this book is most likely to appeal to children aged around 9-13, and as such could be a helpful introduction to the difficulties faced by some refugees and asylum seekers. I’m pleased to learn that a stand-alone sequel to this book, called ‘Island Treasure’, is soon to be published.
Recommended to fluent readers who like adventure stories, or as a read-aloud for children of perhaps eight or nine and older. Another book on a similar theme is ‘No ballet shoes in Syria’, which I read a couple of years ago.
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