β Scribed by Henning Mankell
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
12 year old Joel lives with his father in the cold northern part of Sweden. At night he often sneaks out of his father's house to look for a lonely dog he has seen from his window. On the bridge across the icy river he starts a secret society and has adventures. But one night he discovers that his father's bed is also empty and will have to come terms with his father's new-found love. The harsh reality of Joel's world comes vividly to life and leaves the reader spellbound.
Grade 6β9βHenning Mankell's novel (Delacorte, 2007) is set in 1956 in an isolated logging town in the Swedish mountains. Eleven-year-old Joel Gustafson's mother abandoned him and his father when he was very young. The boy likes to spend time with his father, listening to stories about the days he spent as a seafarer, and dreams of going to sea when he grows up. One night he observes a lone dog outdoors and imagines that he is headed for the stars. Joel creates a secret society and begins sneaking out at night to look for the dog. Along the way, he runs into a few of the town's oddest people, including a mean-spirited older boy who encourages him to take part in pranks that make him uncomfortable. He also discovers that his father is having a sexual relationship with the waitress at the local bar. After attempting and escaping from a dangerous adventure, he gains some insight and becomes more understanding of his father's loneliness. Australian narrator Francis Greenslade's reading is pleasant, and there are musical interludes between chapters. This stark story leaves much unanswered and is sometimes repetitive and childish, yet is has mature themes and vocabulary.β Jo-Ann Carhart, East Islip Public Library, NY
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**Praise for Mankellβs Kurt Wallander novels:
** βThe Nordic King of the European thriller writers.β
β Observer
From the Trade Paperback edition.
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12 year old Joel lives with his father in the cold northern part of Sweden. At night he often sneaks out of his father's house to look for a lonely dog he has seen from his window. On the bridge across the icy river he starts a secret society and has adventures. But one night he discovers that his f
SUMMARY: This poignant novel explores how a unilateral decision can change a life.Two things are hard for Joel Gustafson to cope with: not knowing why, and not being able to do anything about it. Joels father was once a sailor who lived by the sea. Joels mother once lived with them. Joels father a
SUMMARY: This poignant novel explores how a unilateral decision can change a life.Two things are hard for Joel Gustafson to cope with: not knowing why, and not being able to do anything about it. Joelβs father was once a sailor who lived by the sea. Joelβs mother once lived with them. Joelβs father
SUMMARY: This poignant novel explores how a unilateral decision can change a life.Two things are hard for Joel Gustafson to cope with: not knowing why, and not being able to do anything about it. Joels father was once a sailor who lived by the sea. Joels mother once lived with them. Joels father a