Chosen title: Canadian Children’s Book Center catalog best books for children and teenagers 2013! In The Fall of the Wall , Joshua misses his grandfather, but his mother forbids him to see him. She doesn’t want to explain why, but Joshua suspects it has something to do with his new wife, Riva.
Joshua misses his grandfather, but his mother forbids him to see him. She doesn’t want to explain why, but Joshua suspects it has something to do with his new wife, Riva.
One day, Joshua goes out alone to visit his grandfather and Riva to find out the truth. He hopes he can find a way to reconcile them all. But will he be able to break the wall erected to keep their secrets?
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IP (Interactive Publications Pty Ltd) –
Once, Joshua was very close to his grandfather but since his grandmother got really sick and died, he hasn’t seen him because his mother will not let him. Joshua suspects it has something to do with his grandfather’s new wife, but eventually the tug of family overcomes him and he sets out on his own to visit him secretly. Timidly he approaches the house and knocks, and is greeted by Riva who tries to persuade him to ring his mum while they wait for Grandpa to come home with ice cream. But Josh wants to see his grandpa first and when he arrives, they sit down and Grandpa tells him a story from his childhood about little boys not being able to make a difference.
But Joshua disagrees – he thinks they can and he thinks he is.
That’s not the only lesson Joshua learns that day in a sensitive portrayal of a situation of a family’s rift that is all too common. For not only does Joshua learn that just one person can take the step to healing, he also has his grandfather’s wisdom of knowing why the rift has occurred and there is understanding rather than blame. Sometimes time can heal, but sometimes it can create a gap too wide to cross. His may not be the only heart healed today.
The soft muted tones that Sona Babajanyan has used in the illustrations echo the poignancy of this story that explores topics that are common in our students’ lives but not necessarily written about in books. The ache between grandchild and grandparent and vice versa is tangible, and there’s always a piece of you missing when one is removed through divorce or death. Too many years can be lost if there is no reconciliation and Joshua may prove inspirational to some. This is fiction mirroring real life. Sometimes all it takes is the courage to pick up the phone. Little people CAN make a difference, indeed.
Barbara Braxton, The Bottom Shelf
IP (Interactive Publications Pty Ltd) –
A sensitively told story about loving relationships, coping with loss and learning to love again. Bringing Down the Wall gently explores the process of loss and healing across the generations, from child to parent to grandparent.
—Margaret Warner, Buzz Words
IP (Interactive Publications Pty Ltd) –
A beautiful, heart-felt story about how sometimes things get lost in the generation gap. It takes someone very special to build the bridge and mend the hearts. This book is sure to fill a gap in the market and many a family. Lovely.
— Angela Hall, Bug in a Book
IP (Interactive Publications Pty Ltd) –
Walls are built for protection. For keeping people safe. But what happens when the wall is psychological and the people you are keeping out are your family? Bringing Down the Wall is an honest look at how confusing life can be. It’s about forgiveness and acceptance. It’s about courage and frailty but above all it’s about love and family.
—Jackie Hosking, Pass It On