Chicken House ISBN 9781911490043 £6.99
Jess lives her life, quite literally, in the shadows; she suffers from a skin condition which is triggered by exposure to light and when she goes out she is dressed like an astronaut or beekeeper. Then she sneaks out to the local park at night and discovers a weird and wonderful garden that is totally frozen. When she meets a boy called Owen, made of ice, she discovers a new world of opportunities, but how does all of this link with the unconscious boy called Davey, she has seen in hospital? This really is a magical story about coping with adversity and learning to be happy about yourself. Jess is a strong-willed character who is frustrated by the limitations put upon her, so she keeps testing the boundaries. She loves writing stories and this helps her cope although she misses going to school and making friends. At a personal level this story leaves you with a warm glow and a sense of hope as we see Jess work her way through a series of problems. As a text for school this is a brilliant book for supporting empathy, discussing disability in its many forms and understanding that we are not limited by our circumstances.
Margaret Pemberton, School Library Adviser