The Nearest Faraway Place

By Author / Illustrator

Hayley Long

Genre

Adventure

Age range(s)

11+

Publisher

Hot Key Books

ISBN

9781471406263

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

13-07-2017

Synopsis

A powerfully told story of the love between two brothers in the aftermath of a family tragedyGriff and Dylan are driving into Manhattan with their parents when the worst happens. There is a terrible car accident and Dylan and Griff(1)s parents are killed.The boys are suddenly orphans with nowhere to go, until a kind aunt and uncle give them a new home in Wales. Now Dylan and Griff have everything they need love, a happy home and a future. But Dylan is worried about Griff: whether he is OK, whether he is coping with his grief. He doesn't seem to want to speak about it or really acknowledge the loss of their parents.But Dylan needs to be even braver than Griff, because there is something very important he needs to face up to before he can move on.The heartbreaking new novel from award-winning author Hayley LongWinner of the Mal Peet Children's Book Award at the 2017 East Anglian Book Awards, the Tir na n-Og Award (English language) 2018, the Staffordshire Libraries YTF2018 (Young Teen Fiction) Book Award and the Young Jury Prize 2020 (Flanders).Nominated for the Carnegie Medal 2018Shortlisted for the Brilliant Book Award 2019, the Warwickshire Secondary Books Award 2019, the Stockport Children's Book Award 2018, the Hillingdon Secondary Book of the Year 2018 and the Dudley Teen Book Awards 2018

Reviews

Heart breaking and heart-warming, The Nearest Far Away Place explores the effects of bereavement on young Griff and Dylan who were in the car when their parents were killed in a tragic freak accident. Dylan is the eldest and takes his role as older brother very seriously. He tries to look after Griff and make sure he's OK, despite the fact that neither of them has ever been any good at the mushy stuff. As if being orphaned is not complicated enough, they find themselves alone in New York with no family and have to stay with the school Principal, Blessing. Blessing lives up to her name and she, along with her dog and neighbours, start the long healing process with the boys. Other great supportive characters are Cousin Dee and Owen in Wales. As the book progresses, and time passes, we see Griff slowly taking steps out of his shell and re-connecting with the real world. Dylan, the narrator, shows us glimpses of their lives before the tragedy so we get to know their amazing parents and his German friend Matilda. This is a welcome and important addition to teen literature about bereavement, as well as a good story. 320 pages / Ages 13+ / Reviewed by Melanie Chadwick, school librarian.