quippe | Entries tagged with phil earle

The Blurb On The Back:

Florrie has two of everything.

Two lovely brothers …

Two smashing parents …

And two very cuddled pets.

But two isn’t always a magic number. Florrie now has to life in TWO different homes: one with her mum and one with her dad.

An uplifting picture book helping children to embrace change and discuss their feelings around separation and divorce

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Phil Earle’s sensitive and thoughtful picture book aims to help young readers deal with the emotional wrench of moving between parents when they separate. Jess Rose’s illustrations are an absolute delight - I loved the way Florrie’s appearance has elements of her mum and dad and she gets across how much Florrie’s parents love her. I think this is a great way of introducing a difficult topic for young readers and as such is worth a look.

TWO PLACES TO CALL HOME was released in the United Kingdom on 16th February 2023. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

”For as long as I could remember it was always about the three of us.
Me.
Dad.
And mum’s shadow.”

Daisy’s mum is gone.

Her dad refuses to talk about it.

As far as Daisy’s concerned, it’s all her fault.

As her life starts to spiral out of control, panic leads to tragedy and Daisy’s left alone.

But sometimes the kindness of a stranger can turn things around.

A stranger who desperately wants to save Daisy – if she’ll only let herself be saved …

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The Verdict:

Phil Earle’s second YA novel is a companion book to the critically acclaimed BEING BILLY and, given that it focuses on one of the characters in that book, I’d been hoping for another powerful contemporary tale that shines a light on real teen issues. What I found was a soapier beast and that’s because Daisy’s problems, although serious, are essentially passive. She’s not someone who drives events, even though she blames herself for them. The tremendous guilt and anxiety she feels makes her passive and reactive and her inability to stand up for herself even when bullied frustrated me (even though I acknowledge it’s true to life). I also found the internal monologues a little repetitive and when her therapy worker, Ade starts talking about the application of logic, I wish it had come sooner. It’s a very worthy book and I think there’s a lot here that could help teens struggling with self-harm, but (and I feel bad for saying this) it didn’t make for an interesting read for me and I found myself skimming the pages. It’s an okay read but not as good as BEING BILLY.

The Blurb On The Back:

”Faces flashed before my eyes.

And for every face there was a time that they had let me down.

Each punch that landed was revenge, my chance to tell them I hadn’t forgotten what they did.”

Eight years in a care home make Billy Finn a professional lifer. And Billy’s angry – with the system, the social workers and the mother who gave him away.

As far as Billy’s concerned, he’s on his own, his little brother and sister keep him going, though they can’t keep him out of trouble.

But he isn’t being difficult on purpose.

Billy’s just being Billy.

He can’t be anything else.

Can he?

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Phil Earle’s debut YA novel is a stunning, heart-breaking, thought-provoking contemporary story that takes an honest look at a teenager in long-term care and his self-destructive behaviour in a way that isn’t apologetic but which has its bleakness tempered by a belief in personal change. I thought it was an incredible read and I’m really looking forward to reading Phil Earle’s next book.