Benjamin Zephaniah (1958–2023)

I was disappointed. It's very much a standard children's book with a 4 or 5 line poem for each letter of the alphabet describing some local item; not a lot of creativity. Some lines rhyme, some don't, but I was rarely able to get a good chant going--the rhythm of lines varies or is absolutely missing. I wouldn't have minded so much if the text was laid out as a paragraph that I could just read as factual statements. Not what I expected from a Jamaican poet, especially not one who was offered the OBE. But, then, reading Zephaniah's rejection letter I can understand that he was likely offered it more to shut him up than to praise his style.… (más)

Don't judge a book by its cover.
This was a powerful read, highlighting the subject of image and other people's reaction to disfigurement. It reminded me of Wonder by R. J. Palacio, another Young Adult book that I really enjoyed.

Martin is a fortunate teenager; he has a crowd of mates and a stunning girlfriend. Unfortunately he makes one bad decision and ends up in hospital with serious facial burns. He has to come to terms with his new appearance, his parents' reaction to his injuries, and then his friends and the rest of the school. It's a lot to deal with and we travel with Martin on his journey of self discovery.
This would be an excellent prompt for discussion about prejudices regarding appearance and our reaction to those less fortunate than ourselves.

Like Refugee Boy that I also listened to recently, Face was brilliantly read by Ben Bailey Smith, who moves seamlessly in and out of a London accent. I shall certainly look out for other books with his narration.… (más)