By Anne Fine (author)
"A refreshing and delightful read and would be a wonderful book for any child about to embark on their secondary school journey."
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September 2024 Book of the Month
When someone has written more than seventy books, as Anne Fine has done, you don’t think you’re going to open something as surprising and different as On The Wall.
This is a book about the transition to secondary school but it's not the usual story of struggles to fit in or difficulties with home life. There’s a teacher but he’s not a ‘hero’, there are friendships but they aren’t defined by their challenges, there are the pressures of new expectations and of growing up, but they aren’t arduous or insurmountable. This is a different kind of story.
The main character is Finlay who is remarkable only because he is “happy absolutely everywhere, all the time” and who finds his place in his new school, literally on the wall. Finley has the ability to just be - mostly on the wall. He is totally accepting of himself and the interest in the story comes from how others (adults and other children) learn to ‘be’ through his example.
Only a writer as skilled and talented as Anne Fine could build an entire book around a central character who is totally mindful, calm and without drama. The beautiful prose is very, very readable and hard to put down. This is an unusual book that is written by someone who seeks to observe and understand children. It is such a refreshing and delightful read and would be a wonderful book for any child about to embark on their secondary school journey.
Can you find happiness anywhere? Anywhere at all?
Amid the frantic bustle of breaktime, Finley Tandy sits peacefully on the wall. Mr Goodhew, watching from the staffroom, can't help but wonder at the boy's gift for stillness, and his seemingly cast-iron happiness.
But maybe tranquility can be catching. Because gradually everyone in the school comes to appreciate what Finley's long silences can offer. Even Juliet finds answers to her crushing worries when she's close to Finley, up on the wall.
Through Finley's calm contemplation, Anne Fine gently explores how students make their very different ways through life at school and at home.
Any child who is worried about ‘big school’ – or anything else – will find the world of Windfields cheering and positive, and Finley a supporive friend.
A warm and witty novel, with a lot to say about the value of silence.
Former Children’s Laureate Anne Fine has written over seventy books for children and won many prizes and accolades, including twice winning the Carnegie Medal. She began to write after the birth of her first child, when she was unable to get to the library to change her books in a snowstorm, and she hasn’t stopped since. Her writing very often tackles serious social issues (Anne studied Politics and History at university) but can also be laugh-out-loud funny and her range is demonstrated by the successes of Madam Doubtfire and Goggle Eyes .
Anne has often been described as ‘outspoken’ but in On The Wall she explores how we can all benefit from a little peace and quiet: something she learned to treasure as a child, growing up in a small house with four siblings.
Anne Fine was our Guest Editor in July 2011
Among her many other prizes are the Smarties Prize for Bill’s New Frock , a second Whitbread Award for The Tulip Touch, a silver Nestle prize for Ivan the Terrible , and many other regional and foreign awards.
In 1990 and again in 1993 she was voted Publishing News’ Children’s Author of the Year. In 1998, she was the UK nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen Award. Adaptations of Bill’s New Frock and Goggle-Eyes have been screened by the BBC and her novel Madame Doubtfire was adapted for film under the title Mrs Doubtfire.
Having written over fifty books for children of all ages, Anne Fine became Children’s Laureate in 2001 and during her two years of office set up the Home Library (free downloadable modern bookplates from www.myhomelibrary.org ) and published three classic anthologies of poetry for different age groups, called A Shame to Miss 1, 2 & 3.
Anne Fine has also published eight highly acclaimed novels for adults, including In Cold Domain, All Bones and Lies and Raking the Ashes. The Killjoy won a Scottish Arts Council Book Award and both Taking the Devil’s Advice and Telling Liddy have been broadcast on BBC Radio 4. Our Precious Lulu is her most recent novel.
Anne Fine’s work has been translated into forty five languages. In 2003 she became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and was awarded an OBE. Anne has two grown up daughters, and lives in County Durham.
Click here to read a Q&A with the author or click here to read an extended biography in which Anne talks about her writing.
Here is a letter from author, Sarah Forbes to Anne Fine, who visited her home town when she was eight and made a lasting impression. Dear Anne Fine, You won’t remember this, but in the late 1980s you visited Stonehaven Library as part of an author tour. Stonehaven is a lovely place: a small seaside resort on the east coast of Scotland near Aberdeen. It has an open-air swimming pool and a ruined castle. These days it’s famous for being the home of the deep-fried Mars bar. (Yes, I have eaten a deep-fried Mars bar. No, that isn’t why I’m writing this.)
I remember your visit vividly because I was an avid, avid reader of your books. You coming to town was like having a famous pop star parachute in for the day. The excitement of having an actual, real author come to speak to us! Someone whose books I could reach out and touch on the library shelves in the children’s section upstairs where you did your event.
For a kid living in a big literary city like Edinburgh or London, meeting authors might not be such a big deal. Authors tend to work hard to promote their books and the ones I know do as many events as they can. But let me tell you, rural Aberdeenshire in the 80s was not a hotbed of literary discovery, and you coming to town meant a lot. I think that was the point when I realized writing could be a career. Maybe one day, I could be a writer too.
Many, many years later, I found myself back in the children’s section of Stonehaven Library promoting my own children’s books. That felt incredibly weird and incredibly lovely all at the same time. I’m excited to say I’ll also be talking to kids about my Elspeth Hart books at the Edinburgh International Book Festival this month. I have so much fun doing my own events, but my favourite part is when I ask if anyone likes writing or wants to be a writer and dozens of hands shoot up. The ideas these kids have are amazing. I wonder if it’s easier to dream your way into becoming a writer when you meet grown-ups who’ve done the same thing?
Either way, I relish every minute of getting to meet my readers, and part of the reason I appreciate it, Anne, is you.
Warm wishes, Sarah Forbes
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I loved it. It’s a lovely book and amazing.
I really liked the main storyline of On The Wall , it was a great. I loved it. It’s a lovely book and amazing. I really liked the ending where they said, ‘Oh that’s just Finley he’s just a friend.’ I really like Finley’s personality he was quiet and kind and quite nice. He is my favourite character in the whole book. My second favourite character in the book was Juliet because her personality was calm, quiet, kind and nice. She was also quite shy. I can't quite decide which personalities of each of the characters I liked the best. They are both really lovely and kind which I think is the most important thing of all.... Read Full Review
Aralynne Monksummers
It’s beautifully written, very thoughtful and insightful.
Where to start…I was so excited to share this book with my son, who has just started at secondary school.
The story is beautifully written, very thoughtful and insightful. The front cover sets the scene.
We could all learn from the main character Finley. So calming and happy to be himself and full of empathy. The story is full of charming characters.
We have enjoyed lots of Anne Fine books.... Read Full Review
The Wall follows Finley, a quiet boy at a new school who prefers sitting alone on an old wall during lunch rather than interacting with others. Initially, people think he’s odd, but over time, they realize Finley isn’t lonely—just different. Other kids, like Juliet, start joining him, finding comfort in the wall’s peacefulness. Without needing to talk much, they work through their own problems, showing that silence can be a form of connection. The book emphasizes not judging others for being different and finding happiness in unexpected places. Its simple story delivers a strong message about the value of individuality and quiet reflection.
On The Wall is about a boy named Finley who’s new at school and doesn’t really talk to anyone. Instead of hanging out with the other kids during lunch or break, he just sits by himself on this old wall at the edge of the playground. At first, people think he’s weird or lonely, and the teachers even gossip about him because they don’t understand why he’s so quiet. But over time, you realise Finley isn’t lonely—he’s just different.
What’s cool is that other kids, like Juliet, start joining him on the wall. They don’t really talk much, but somehow sitting there helps them figure out their own problems.... Read Full Review
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed On the Wall and determined it is suitable for children aged 11-12 years old
On the Wall features in the following genres: Featured Books for 11+ readers, Books of the Month, Books Reviewed by our Reader Review Panels, Recommendations, Star Books, Stories about Family and Friends, School Stories, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational
Paperback. £8.09, down from the £8.99 cover price. In Stock.
On the Wall was written by Anne Fine and published by Old Barn Books
On the Wall has 230 pages
£8.09, reduced from £8.99. In Stock.
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