LoveReading4Kids Says
Longlisted for the UKLA Book Award 2022 ages 11-14 | Shortlisted for the Yoto Carnegie Medal 2022
Exhibiting the same intense sense of place as in her highly acclaimed debut, The Smell of Other People’s Houses, and set once again in Alaska and the American West during the 1990’s, this collection demonstrates absolutely remarkable storytelling and authenticity. Every word in each short story counts in bringing another character so vividly to life that we become completely immersed in their lives. These troubled teens encounter love, loss, coming of age, grief, abuse, and friendships with the minutiae of daily life often revealing or foreshadowing a deeper and darker truth. All the narratives share the backdrop of an increasingly devasting forest fire and the history of a little girl’s disappearance. Each story relates to these major events in different ways and the links between the individual stories and these shattering events gradually become apparent. What is also revealed is the universal dichotomy of small communities, where everybody knows everybody and yet does not actually know them at all. The struggle to get your voice heard and for people to accept your truth is at the heart of these beautifully crafted stories. This is a book which should be garlanded with awards and will definitely linger long in the reader’s mind.
Joy Court
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Everyone Dies Famous in a Small Town Synopsis
A lyrical and heartfelt collection by an award-winning writer that connects the lives of young people from small towns in Alaska and the American west. Each story is unique, yet universal.
In this book, the impact of wildfire, a wayward priest, or a mysterious disappearance ricochet across communities, threading through stories. Here, ordinary actions such as ice skating or going to church reveal hidden truths. One choice threatens a lifelong friendship. Siblings save each other. Rescue and second chances are possible, and so is revenge.
On the surface, it seems that nothing ever happens in these towns. But Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock shows that underneath that surface, teenagers' lives blaze with fury, with secrets, and with love so strong it burns a path to the future.
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9781984892621 |
| Publication date: |
12th April 2022 |
| Author: |
Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock |
| Publisher: |
Ember an imprint of Random House Children's Books |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| Pagination: |
224 pages |
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Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock Press Reviews
'A clever and unusual novel . . . powerful.' Sally Nicholls
'Gorgeous and compelling . . . breathtaking.' Katherine Webber
'A beautiful literary writer.' The Bookseller
'It's cut like a gemstone. Turn the pages, and facets gleam.' Hiliary McKay
'Beautifully observed and deeply satisfying.' Lisa Williamson
'Breathes life into wonderful, complex characters.' Lisa Heathfield
'A heartbreakingly brilliant tangle of teenage voices.' Judith Eagle
Praise for The Smell of Other People’s Houses;
‘This book reaches through the mêlée of voices in YA; its smell, or scent, fresh and alluring.’ – Independent
‘An exceptional coming of age novel.’– The Sunday Times, Book of the Week
‘A captivating debut by an exciting new author.’ – Guardian
‘Ambitious and original, this transports the reader effortlessly both in time and space.’ – Metro
‘Gorgeous.’ – Spectator
About Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock
Born and raised in Alaska and a longtime journalist for Alaska Public Radio, Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock spent ten years fishing commercially and raised her children on a boat in Southeast Alaska - bringing a rare authenticity to her writing about America's last frontier. She now lives in Lyons, Colorado, where she's slowly rebuilding her house after the catastrophic floods of September 2013. THE SMELL OF OTHER PEOPLE'S HOUSES is her first novel.
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