Against the Odds - Softcover

Marjolijn Hof

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1742375081 ISBN 13: 9781742375083

Publisher: Allen & Unwin Australia, 2012

Synopsis

'It's about something called the odds,' said my mother. 'For instance, the odds that you'll become a millionaire are very, very small. The odds that you'll find a coin in the street are a lot bigger. And it's the same thing with fathers. The odds of having a father are big, and the odds of not having a father are small. So you don't have to worry too much about not having a father."Can you make the odds of something smaller?' I asked. 'Or bigger?' 'Yes,' my mother said. 'Sometimes.'Kiki's father, a doctor, is always putting himself in danger by travelling to faraway war zones. No matter how much she tries, Kiki can't convince him not to go. When her father actually does go missing, and as her mother gets more and more worried, Kiki decides she has to try and improve the odds of her father coming home, the only way she can.A powerful, sad, yet funny book about what to do when something you've always feared becomes all too real.'the voice and feelings of its narrator ring absolutely true' The Globe and Mail

About this title

About the Author:

Marjolijn Hof, formerly a children's librarian, always dreamed of being a writer. When Against the Odds (Een kleine kans), her first novel, was published, it was met with high critical acclaim, winning three major Dutch and Flemish children's book prizes - the Golden Owl Juvenile Literature Prize, the Golden Owl Young Readers' Prize and the Golden Slate Pencil - and it has been translated into at least nine languages. Marjolijn Hof has been praised for her ability to evoke emotions in very few words.

Review:

- A USBBY Outstanding International Book, 2009"Hof reaches adeptly into Kiki's mind and scattered emotions, allowing her to tell her own story in simple, childlike language ... Her plight will resonate with young readers..." "-- Kirkus""The little girl's desperate reasoning is spot on in terms of developmental level and worldview. Her mother's conflicts-how much information to share, how to maintain a sense of normalcy-are also heartrendingly realistic." "-- Horn Book Magazine"" ... a sensitive and honest portrayal of a family during a time of great stress.""-- School Library Journal"

About this edition

• Publisher: Allen & Unwin Australia
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 1742375081
• ISBN 13: 9781742375083
• Binding: Paperback