When the sky falls on our heads
-Shortlisted for the 2023 Greek IBBY Awards
A beautifully written story, inspired by a true story, about love, friendship and how animals can bring people closer together, even in the darkest and most bleak of times.
The book won the award for best children’s fiction of the year at the 2022 British Book Awards, the Books Are My Bag Reader’s Choice Award 2021, was shortlisted for the Yoto Carnegie Medal 2022, and was named Book of the Year (2021) by The Times and the Sunday Independent.
A beautifully written story, inspired by a true story, about love, friendship and how animals can bring people closer together, even in the darkest and most bleak of times.
The book won the award for best children’s fiction of the year at the 2022 British Book Awards, the Books Are My Bag Reader’s Choice Award 2021, was shortlisted for the Yoto Carnegie Medal 2022, and was named Book of the Year (2021) by The Times and the Sunday Independent.
1940. The war is raging.
An angry boy, Joseph, who is not sent to the countryside, but to London, the city that enemy planes bomb almost every night. There, Joseph will stay with Mrs F, a sharp-tongued woman who does not like children. Her only loves are her dilapidated zoo and her imposing silverback gorilla, Adonis.
As the weeks go by, bonds are formed and secrets come to light. The woman and the boy grow closer. But if the bombs set Adonis free, terrified and wild, will either of them be able to put an end to the life of the only creature they truly love?
- Pages: 368
- ISBN: 978-960-572-473-3
- Publication: 2022
- Date of publication: 21/03/2022
- Dimensions: 14 x 21,3 εκ.
- Category: Childrens' Books
"...Και τελικά, όταν πέσει ο ουρανός στο κεφάλι μας, ποιον θα βρούμε να στέκεται δίπλα μας και σε ποιανού το πλάι θα σταθούμε οι ίδιοι; Είναι σίγουρη πως ο αναγνώστης θα βρει αβίαστα τις απαντήσεις μέσα σε αυτό το συναρπαστικό και καλογραμμένο, λογοτεχνικό έργο."
– Αγγελική Ευσταθίου, Αγαπημένα παιδικά βιβλία"...ένα σπουδαίο ιστορικό μυθιστόρημα για παιδιά και νεαρούς αναγνώστες που έχει εν μέρει βασιστεί στην αληθινή ιστορία του πατέρα ενός φίλου του συγγραφέα, ο οποίος την ίδια χρονική περίοδο που εκτυλίσσεται και η ιστορία του Earle, έπρεπε να πηγαίνει κάθε βράδυ που έπεφταν βόμβες στο Μάντσεστερ, στον ζωολογικό κήπο Bellevue, να φυλάει το κλουβί του λιονταριού ώστε αν κάποια βόμβα κατέστρεψε το κλουβί, να πυροβολήσει το λιοντάρι πριν αυτό καταφέρει να αποδράσει μέσα στην πόλη."
– Ζωή Κοσκινίδου, Κόκκινη ΑλεπούPhil Earle
Phil Earle was born in Hull, England, in 1974. He studied English Literature and Theatre at the University of Hull and worked as a child carer in a local care home. After training in drama therapy, he worked at a therapeutic community in London that cares for multiply abused teenagers. After several years working in the care sector, Phil chose the quieter life of a bookseller and now works in children’s publishing. He lives in south-east London with his wife and children.
