By Beverley Naidoo (author)
"A dystopian allegory with powerful themes of oppression, inequality and injustice"
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The first novel in a decade from the Carnegie medal winning author, certainly does not disappoint.
With strong parallels to her modern classic apartheid story, Journey to Jo’burg , this thought-provoking story is set in an imaginary society where the Permitted ruling classes oppress the Nons. Adam and his sister Leila are Nons and the story alternates between their viewpoints. Although their life in the Stone City, thanks to their father’s job, is relatively privileged and comfortable, they must carefully follow the rules, have all paperwork on hand, and never, ever do anything to anger a Permitted.
But that all changes with their father’s sudden death and the threat of deportation hangs over them. So, when Adam’s friend Zak plays a bold prank on a group of Permitted boys, and Adam is implicated in Zak’s “crime,” the full scale of their danger and of the corrupt judicial system becomes all too clear.
The scenes of their imprisonment and mental and physical torture pull no punches. But there are Permitteds who are rebelling against injustice and who are determined to help them and for Adam hope is kept alive through music and poetry. There is no easy happy solution and a false plea of guilty may be the only thing that can save Zak’s life.
This is an imaginary world which shines a clear light upon the current and historical prejudices and failings of our own and will inspire and challenge readers to fight for a better world, just like the author did in South Africa.
A highly recommended, timely and relevant read.
A thrilling, resonant and inspiring novel about justice, privilege and the power of the young to strive for change.
Read the full description
Set in a world where Adam and Leila and their friend Zak live as Nons under the Permitted ruling class. Then, when Adam and Leila's father dies unexpectedly, their mother faces losing her permit to live in the Stone City with deportation to where she was born. Before music-loving Adam can implement his plan to save Mama, Zak is arrested for a bold prank that goes wrong, with far-reaching repercussions for them all . . .
The eagerly awaited new children's book comes from award-winning author Beverley Naidoo, winner of the Carnegie Medal for The Other Side of Truth . Beverley's first novel, Journey to Jo'burg , has never been out of print in the UK and US since its publication in 1985. It now appears in the HarperCollins Modern Classics list and is frequently read in schools worldwide.
Beverley Naidoo was born into a white, middle-class family in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1943. She graduated from the University of Witwatersrand in 1963. Her involvement with the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa led to her being imprisoned in solitary confinement for eight weeks at the age of 21. She left for England in 1965 and studied at the University of York with the help of a United Nations Bursary, training to become a teacher. Her first novel for children, Journey to Jo'burg, was published in 1985. A powerful portrayal of racism seen from a child's perspective, the book was banned in South Africa until 1991. A sequel, Chain of Fire, was published in 1989. No Turning Back (1995) was written after running workshops for young people in South Africa with theatre director Olusola Oyeleye. The Other Side of Truth (2000) was inspired in part by the execution of Nigerian writer Ken Saro-Wiwa and tells the story of two Nigerian children who flee to London as refugees after their mother is killed.
Q&A WITH BEVERLEY NAIDOO:
Favourite Hero: The little African hare. He plays tricks on bigger, bossier animals who think that big is best
Favourite Monster: The tick-tock crocodile in Peter Pan.
Special secret power: A secret is a secret. (when i was a child, i made a secret society with a friend. To this day, i have never told anyone the meaning of our name The TTs'.)
Favourite Fight Scene: War and Peas by Michael Foreman. The animals in King Lion's country are starving but they manage to chase away the greedy Fat King and his army.
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A thrilling, resonant and inspiring novel about justice, privilege and the power of the young to strive for change. Set in a world where Adam and Leila and their friend Zak live as Nons under the Permitted ruling class.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Children of the Stone City and determined it is suitable for children aged 11-14 years old
Children of the Stone City features in the following genres: Adventure Stories, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Featured Books for 13+ readers, Recommendations, Gritty Reads, Featured Books for 11+ readers
Paperback, Hardback. £7.20, down from the £8.00 cover price. In Stock.
Children of the Stone City was written by Beverley Naidoo and published by HarperCollins an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
Children of the Stone City has 261 pages
£7.20, reduced from £8.00. In Stock.
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