A Story Like the Wind by Gill Lewis and Jo Weaver
| A Story Like the Wind by Gill Lewis and Jo Weaver | |
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| Category: Confident Readers | |
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Reviewer: Anne Thompson
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| Summary: A moving response to the refugee crisis, this poignant story, a mixture of current events and traditional fable accompanied by beautiful illustrations, will linger long in the memory. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 80 | Date: May 2017 |
| Publisher: OUP Oxford | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 978-0192758958 | |
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A small group of people huddle together in a tiny boat in a large sea. Strangers to each other but united by a common experience. They have each lost everything and yet each has a dream of seeking and finding refuge. They each have hope. A small hope.
Thirteen-year old Rami has lost his family and is alone on the boat save for his beloved violin. As his fellow travellers share their stories and offer to share their meagre possessions and food with Rami he declines as he believes that he has nothing to share with them in return. However Rami is wrong. As he tells the others that his violin means everything to him and they ask him to show them why he realises that what he can share with them is the power of music and story to heal and to offer hope.
Gill Lewis was inspired to write this story by a photo of a young Syrian playing his violin in front of a barricade of riot police at a border control. It is this and the knowledge of the young refugees who have lost their lives in similar circumstances whilst trying to reach a better life that adds to the heart-breaking poignancy of this story. And yet this is not a story of despair. There is a quiet dignity about the refugees as they cling to their dream of freedom despite their circumstances. The link to the traditional Mongolian fable about the origins of the horsehead violin is beautifully executed and the two stories intertwine both in the text and the illustrations. The traditional tale of a boy and his much loved stallion is one of courage, freedom and standing up against oppressors and thus mirrors in some ways the refugees' stories.
Music has the power to touch us all and it conveys emotion in a powerful way and somehow the author almost makes you hear it in this story. The illustrations by Jo Weaver are haunting and perfectly complement the text. Amnesty International has endorsed this book and this is hardly surprising as it eloquently celebrates our common humanity and nurtures the values of kindness, compassion and tolerance. As an adult I found this a compassionate and very moving read and yet I would highly recommend it as an excellent children's book for confident readers. The subject is handled with care and thoughtfulness and there is much to celebrate within the book despite the sadness. It is absolutely beautiful both in appearance and content and highly recommended. I would like to thank the publishers for supplying this review copy.
Another thought-provoking book about trying to make a home in a new country is the superb graphic novel The Arrival by Shaun Tan. We can also recommend Little One by Jo Weaver.
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You can read more book reviews or buy A Story Like the Wind by Gill Lewis and Jo Weaver at Amazon.com.
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