Where in the World - Softcover

Simon French had his first novel published at the age of eighteen. Since then, he has written numerous books for young readers that have earned critical acclaim and awards. French is a teacher, and the characters in his stories often develop from the children he has worked with. He lives in Australia.

Gr. 5-8. Winner of Australia's 2003 Patricia Wrightson Award, this is one of the few novels for the age group that handles the topic of music with a musician's sensibility. Ari and his mother have moved from Germany to settle near Sydney; a silver-framed photograph is the only concrete reminder Ari has of his father, who died when Ari was three. Struggling to fit into a new school, speak a new language, and adjust to his stepfather, Ari doesn't let anyone at school know he plays the violin, for fear of seeming weird. Most of all, he misses his grandfather, the source of his musical inspiration. Through a fluid blend of recollections and support from the adults around him, Ari finds a way to reconnect with his father and overcome the shyness and sadness that keep him from performing on stage at the family café. The lyrical writing style suits the theme of musical improvisation in a story that's poignant without being overly sentimental. --Booklist

A quietly told story about relationships between a boy and his grandfather (Opa) and between music and memories. Sensitive Ari has a strong bond with Opa, who s taught him violin since he was tiny and whose farm in Germany has been home since Ari s father died years ago. When Ari s mother takes him traveling around Europe and Australia, he experiences the trips as uneasy sensory impressions. Then Mum decides to move herself and Ari to Australia and Ari s feeling of displacement grows. Opa sends him violin music through the mail, but Ari misses him badly. A new stepfather and a café featuring music solidify his new Australian life, but Ari is still shy and hides his musical talent from most people. He plays at home, but eventually has to decide whether to perform. A slow voice weaving between past and present characterizes this thoughtful piece about music, family, and memories. (Fiction. 9-12) --Kirkus

Starred Gr 5-8 An unusual and gripping coming-of-age story. Ari Huber, 11, and his mother have moved from Germany to Australia, where she runs a café with his new stepfather. Through flashbacks of a train trip across Europe when he was six and a visit to Australia at age eight, French explores the child s closeness with his mother and grandfather and the events that led to the move. The flashbacks, one-sided phone conversations, e-mails, and well-translated, conversational German add depth to the story and build connections between Ari s present and past. His talent as a violinist plays a major part in the novel, as he uses his music to come to terms with the death of his barely remembered father and beloved grandfather, but French s themes move beyond the world of music with a realistic picture of a boy deciding whether to stand out from the crowd. His single mother s struggles add an unusually realistic picture of the role of adults in a child s life. While he seems quite mature for his age, his concerns are timeless and permit this deceptively simple story to retain a strong appeal for a somewhat older audience. This well-constructed novel challenges readers to think about their own families, talents, and where in the world they might be. --School Library Journal