To celebrate the release of Rosie Loves Jack by Mel Darbon on March 1st, blogs across the web are featuring original content from Mel, as well as 10 chances to win the hardcover!
by Mel Darbon
I always think that you can tell a lot about a person by the books on their shelves, so here is one of my YA bookshelves. I have very recently moved to a new house, so a lot of my books are still packed away, but these are some of my favourite books and authors.
I think that from the selection of books lined up on this shelf you can see that I like books that deal with big issues and provide social commentary. A lot of the novels here are emotionally punchy and deeply moving, books that can make you feel uncomfortable, but make you think—and above all else encourage empathy.
Brian Conaghan is particularly brilliant at producing such books and he always finds humour in the most inconceivable circumstances. The Weight of a Thousand Feathers is a fantastic exploration of the lengths we’ll go to for the people we love. The Bombs That Brought Us Together is a story about friendship that takes a topical and challenging look at communities in conflict, beautifully balancing entertainment with insightful commentary on issues in society.
A lot of the books here deal with child abuse, racism, immigration, arranged marriage, and bullying, and are quite often emotional roller coasters: Orangeboy by Patrice Lawrence, Lullabies for Little Criminals by Heather O’Neill, and The Middle of Nowhere by Geraldine McCaughrean. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas is a brilliant and fantastically told exploration of race in America—and of growing up, too. It is one of the most important books teenagers can read. It's a profound, deeply compelling modern-day classic.
My book shelf also shows that I love books that are inclusive and have characters who struggle to find a voice: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon, Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner, The Good Hawk by Joseph Elliot, and Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz. This isn’t surprising considering my aim with my own books is to never assume that someone who has difficulty communicating has nothing to say.
Hopefully my YA shelfie can give some inspiration for more books to add to your TBR pile!
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Blog Tour Schedule:
3/1 - BookhoundsYA
3/2 - Book Briefs
3/3 - Frantic Mommy
3/4 - Randomly Reading
3/5 - A Dream Within a Dream
3/8 - I'm All Booked Up
3/9 - Multicultural Children's Book Day Blog
3/10 - Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers
3/11 - Christy's Cozy Corners
3/12 - Feed Your Fiction Addiction
“The author stays out of Rosie's way, successfully depicting her protagonist as a person, not a puppet or a platform. The other characters populating the book are realistic, with a striking range of personality traits. The plot is so engrossing that the book is almost impossible to put down. Yes, Rosie loves Jack, and readers are going to love Rosie.” —Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
Fall in love with sixteen-year old Rosie, a girl with Down syndrome who’s fighting for little freedoms, tolerance, and love. A stunning, beautifully insightful debut YA novel from Mel Darbon.
“An enthralling story of resolve and grit... a moving and uplifting novel.” –The Guardian
"They can't send you away. What will we do? We need us. I stop your angry, Jack. And you make me strong. You make me Rosie."
Peachtree Publishing, 2021, 352 pages
Rosie loves Jack. Jack loves Rosie. So when they're separated, Rosie will do anything to find the boy who makes the sun shine in her head. Even defy her parents’ orders and run away from home. Even struggle across London and travel to Brighton on her own, though the trains are cancelled and the snow is falling. Even though people might think a girl like Rosie, who has Down syndrome, could never survive on her own.
Introducing a strong and determined protagonist with Down syndrome, debut author Mel Darbon gives readers an underrepresented but much-needed point of view with a voice-driven, heartfelt story of finding your place an often big and intimidating world.
About the Author: Mel Darbon spent a large part of her childhood inventing stories to keep her autistic brother happy on car journeys. She won’t mention the time spent with him standing by level crossings waiting for the InterCity 125 to go past, as she wouldn’t want to be labelled a train spotter. Life took her in many different directions working as a theatre designer and freelance artist, as well as teaching young adults with learning disabilities and running creative workshops for teenage mums. She moved to Bath in 2014 with her husband and their dog, Alfie. Rosie Loves Jack is her debut book.
Follow Mel: Twitter | Instagram
GIVEAWAY
- 1 winner will receive a finished copy of Rosie Loves Jack
- Check out the other tour stops for more chances to win!
- US/Canada only
- Ends 11:59pm ET on 3/21
I'd like to see more deaf & hard of hearing characters.
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