The Chocolate War
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Cover Story
The illustration on the front of BfK this month is the cover of The Secret of the Indian by Lynne Reid Banks (see Authorgraph for details). The book is published by Collins and we thank them for their help in using Graham Philpot's illustration.
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Frank Muller
In Robert Cormier's introduction, he explains how the germ for this story was his own son being asked - and refusing - to sell chocolates for his new school's funds. His books, he explains, deal with the 'what if... ?s' of life and The Chocolate War explores the development of victimisation as new boy Jerry Renault refuses to conform to his school's dubious practice of selling thousands of boxes of chocolates. On the one hand, in its appropriately pacy American delivery, its psychology and plots are deep and exciting; on the other, it's a serious comment on the high price which is exacted from those who stand by their principles. Interesting issues for what Cormier calls that 'wonderful, lacerating time' - adolescence.
