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Christophe’s Story

Novel for 8+

First published in 2006 (FRANCES LINCOLN): ISBN 10: 1 84507 521 8

Hardback edition - FRANCES LINCOLN 2007: ISBN 13: 978 1 84507 521 7

Shortlisted for the Portsmouth Book Award

· Selected for the SLA list of Riveting Reads for Boys

This edition now out of print

PEARSON’S 'LITERACY EVOLVE' edition published in 2009: ISBN 9780435035716

Reissued in November 2011 with a new jacket: ISBN 978 1 84780 250 7

Christophe is an eight year old asylum-seeker from Rwanda who is starting at a new school in London. He has a story inside him and this story wants to be told. But with a new country, a new school and a new language to cope with, Christophe can't find the right words. He wants to tell the whole school why he had to leave Rwanda, why he has a scar made by a bullet from a soldier's gun and what happened to his baby brother, but has he got the courage to be a storyteller?

Christophe must find a way to break through all these barriers so that he can share his story with everyone.

To see opening pages - Click here

REVIEWS:

“An impressive, deeply thought-provoking and moving short novel whose understanding and compassion bathes readers in hope and belief that regardless of who we might be, whatever our backgrounds or beliefs, all our tomorrows might one day be better and brighter……

To document such large political ideas, such hatreds and injustice in so short a novel and yet to leave readers awed, heartened and feeling in a real sense more tolerant is an enviable achievement and one which this exceptional book achieves with a real zeal.”

Achuka review by Jake Hope: September 2006

“…a powerful indictment of the savagery of war and its effects on those caught in its path…”

Kirkus reviews June 1 2007

Norwegian foreign language version to be published in 2012

Armel's Revenge:

A second book in the series, published 2011 (Frances Lincoln) - ISBN 978 1 847800 224 8

Christophe has been told to look after the new boy in his class. But Armel is not an easy person to be friends with.

When he realises that there is more to Armel's hostility than he first suspected, Christophe is forced to make painful discoveries about the history of the country he once called home.

Can Christophe and Armel leave the past alone? Or will the horrible events in their shared history spill over into the present?

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SHORT STORIES

Mira’s Butterflies

Short story in Lines in the Sand, ed. Hoffman & Lassiter,

FRANCES LINCOLN 2003 (ISBN 0 7 112 22827)

Lines in the Sand is a collection of short stories and poems about war and peace in an anthology written by children’s writers and illustrators at the time of the war in Iraq. Proceeds from the book go to help children injured in the war.

Mira’s Butterflies tells the story of a man with dark thoughts who envied his neighbour’s happiness and contentment. He persuaded his generous neighbour to allow him to come and live with her. Soon his dark thoughts invade her peace and quiet. It is a story about greed and selfishness, and the way that arguments make every one unhappy if you don’t sort things out.

To see opening paragraph - Click here

Baa & the Angels

Short story in Give me Shelter, ed. Tony Bradman

FRANCES LINCOLN 2007 (ISBN 978 1 84507 522 4)

Give me Shelter is a collection of stories about children who seek asylum.

In Baa & the Angels, Sabine’s life changes dramatically when her father is caught up in the war in the Congo and killed. Sabine has to escape from the country with her mother and three little brothers and sisters. She loses her father, her home, her school, her friends. Life will never be the same again.

To see opening pages - Click here

Mud Eggs: Short story in WOW! 366

SCHOLASTIC CHILDRENS BOOKS 2008 (ISBN 978 1407 10798 1)

WOW! 366 is a collection of stories in 366 words.

Mud Eggs is the story of a hen called Poppy who can’t lay eggs. Eventually she finds a creative solution to the problem.

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NON - FICTION

Going the Extra Mile;

An article based on my experiences as an interpreter that describes good and indifferent practices of health care professionals.

Published in Relating Experience, ed. by Malone, Forbat, Robb and Seden; ROUTLEDGE 2005 (ISBN 0 415 32658 3)

Disaster Recovery;

An account of a community centre in Gyumri, Armenia, fifteen years after the 1988 earthquake.

Published in Community Care; Issue 1483 August 2003

Piggy in the Middle;

On the unintended consequences of using an interpreter on the communication between professionals and the users of their services.

Published in Social Work and Law, ed. Cull & Roche, MACMILLAN 2001; (ISBN 0 333 94587 5)

Social Work Education and Practice sans Frontieres;

An analysis of an imaginative project carried out by French and UK social work colleagues who attempted to explore intercultural

differences in practices in an unusual way.

Published in Issues in Social Work Education, vol 14.1.1994 (ISSN 0261-4154)

Linking Personal Problems and Social Issues;

Biographical recording of the life story of a woman who suffered domestic abuse, and whose children were abused by her partner.

Published in Practice, vol 6.2 1993 (ISSN 0950-3153)

Accountability and Assessment in Community Care Implementation;

A discussion of the implications of the division into purchasers and providers for professional accountability.

Published in Critical Social Policy, Issue 36, 1992/3 (ISSN 0261 – 0183)

Developing and Assessing Anti-Discriminatory and Anti-Racist Practice:;

An account of the development and assessment of anti-racist social work practice in the early 1990's.

Published in Issues in Social Work Education, vol. 12.2, 1992 (ISSN 0261 – 4154)

On Record and Open to Question;

A discussion on open access for clients to records. Published in Social Work Today 18.1.90

Learning through Empowerment;

An article emphasizing and discussing the importance of empowering users of services.

Published in SWT 16.11.89

Who Directs Power in Talking with Parents?

An exploration of power issues in the communication between parents and professionals.

Published in SWT 28.9.89

Decision Making and Justice: Do they Register?

An examination of decision making in child protection work. Published in SWT 3.8.89

Involving Parents:

An article based on the experience of setting up a parents room in a special school .

Published in Maladjustment and Therapeutic Education, vol 6.3,1988 (ISSN 0264 -4614)

Statementing and the 1981 Education Act: the Process of Decision Making.

Publication of research carried out for an MPhil degree. Published by CRANFIELD PRESS 1987 (ISBN 0 947563 991)

Memberships:

Society of Authors (and Children & Illustrators’ Group),

Federation of Childrens’ Book Groups,

IBBY,

PEN,

Scattered Authors’ Society,

Forest Writers.

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