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Lark - WINNER OF THE 2020 CARNEGIE MEDAL (The Truth of Things)

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To relieve the tension they decide to take a walk across the hills, taking their Jack Russell terrier Tina with them. Although part of this heart-wrenching series, Lark is a gut-punching stand-alone novel perfect for reluctant readers and dyslexic readers alike, with a reading age of 9 and an interest age of 13+. Because it’s not incidental, this prize: it’s highly visible, and it really means something to be seen. Whereas some of my Shadowing group found this a bit contradictory, I found this a very realistic note which highlights the way that caring for someone can often mean focusing on their needs first. This book is the fourth of a series, although I would recommend starting from the beginning this book also does well as a stand alone.

Even now with life on a more even keel, Nicky’s stories are a balm for Kenny’s restlessness and worries. This time, it’s not his dad or Kenny who need help - his dad’s sorting his life out, and Kenny’s busy making plans with his new best mate.The series began in 2013 with Brock, a bleak but powerful story introducing us to Nicky and his brother Kenny, longlisted for the CILIP in 2014, it heralded the start of an entralling and gritty tale of fraternal love. The way their strong sibling bonds shine through feels absolutely authentic, as does the daring scatological badinage; while Nicky's concern for his brother's wellbeing is a joy to behold even while it's severely tested. I peered into the brightness and saw the small bird straining upwards, its flight not like the easy, carefree swooping of the swallows and swifts. Jittery with nerves, the boys need a pre-meeting distraction,and when Dad reminisces about his childhood escapades on the moors, they decide to plan their own rural adventure. It is Dyslexic friendly and the text seems to be spaced in such a way that it is easily read yet not too childish.

Lark is both a ‘literary’ book and an ‘accessible’ book, and it is a pleasure to see the Carnegie Medal recognise this. He has lectured on creative writing at London Metropolitan University, Royal Holloway University of London, and The Faber Academy. Nicky’s last act of care for Kenny is his final act of storytelling, and his picture of Tina seeking Kenny out in heaven. Lark is a short, focused novel and it works as such, but I think that understanding the aims of the publisher make it easier to embrace the form rather than wishing for more.Lark is the fourth and final story of brothers Nicky and Kenny, a tale modern poverty, the highs and lows of adolescence, and life with learning difficulties told across a sequence of short novellas. I loved this gritty adventure and found it very credible, though, from the comments in other reviews, I wonder if it helps being a Northerner as the language and behaviour reflects the Yorkshire lifestyle. His time at Corpus Christi had a profound influence on him and features prominently as inspiration in his books for young people: "I keep focusing on my school in my work because that’s when stuff happened in my head. You can change your choices at any time by visiting Cookie preferences, as described in the Cookie notice. Established at the beginning of 2016, Cranachan is a small independent publisher and a fresh-face in Scottish publishing landscape.

But to be brutally honest, if you want and even more so if you require a happy and/or a promising conclusion for Lark, sorry, but this is not something being textually offered up by Anthony McGowan's text, and that Lark will leave you or should leave you in tears and massively emotionally upset (a realistic ending for Nicky and Kenny being caught unprepared on the Yorkshire moors during an unexpected blizzard, but admittedly, I would emotionally speaking most definitely prefer less pain and a not so ultimately devastating final outcome in Lark and as such for Anthony McGowan's four novella series of Kenny and Nicky). It also provides the basis for the beginning of a shift in their relationship which is the real story of the book, since Kenny refuses to wear the woollies and suggests Nicky wear them himself.In a year with quite a few shortlisted books I would have been happy to see win, I was utterly delighted that the Medal went to this one. Despite missing the first bus, things go mostly to plan, and their dad’s suggested lark is just what they needed – fresh air, and good natured chatter along the well trodden paths between trees and low stone walls. This series aimed at 12+ readers, is published by Barrington Stoke, a specialist publisher of books for dyslexic and reluctant readers.

They also have attractive cover designs which present them as typical mass market paperbacks rather than as ‘special’ books (these have gotten better and better over time as Barrington Stoke have become more established and their budget correspondingly higher).The relationship between the two brothers is so sensitively portrayed, as is the deep connection with nature and the animal world.

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