Badger on the Barge and other stories

The greatest disappointment in reading these stories was coming to the end of each one. Watch out for Janni Howker. She writes with such sensitivity and such an awareness of the needs and relationships of young people that there must be more to come. In each of the five stories a young person works through a difficulty by discovering a perspective in the loneliness of someone much older. 'Badger on the Barge' tells of Helen, coming to terms with the sudden death of her brother and with her parents' reactions. Through old Miss Brady and the badger kept on Miss Brady's barge, Helen comes to realise her own worth and leads her parents forward to accept a future without their son. Recognising the cruelty of racist jokes, the loneliness of the old, acceptance of death and the need for independence are dealt with in the other stories and worked out through blending the needs of the young and old. The language is at times quite startlingly visual and the sense of being part of the story very strong. Excellent stories for sharing with the twelve to fifteen-year-old group. I look forward to more.