Age 10+

The narrative of an unhappy nine-year-old boy, Thomas, in Holland in 1951, this slim and powerful tale is reminiscent of Jeanette Winterson’s Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit. Thomas’s father is a Bible-reading Christian fundamentalist who believes his family must be violently disciplined to keep them in the ways of God. An encounter with the unconventional widow who lives next door opens the boy’s eyes to another way of living — a life of love, courage and delight. Thomas conjures up his own benevolent and decidedly irreligious Christ to talk to, and learns what it means to do things just for fun. Slowly the tide is turned against the patriarch by a conspiracy of women, including the neighbour, her friends, the boy’s mother, his aunt and, unexpectedly, his sister (who seemed to be in sympathy with her father). Among the women is the disabled 16-year-old with whom Thomas is in love. The ending is an exhilarating celebration of companionship and the joys of ordinary life. Quirky, touching, magical and blackly humorous, this most unusual book will reward readers of all ages.

(Young Picador £7.99)

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