Evie Hart likes rules. A lot. But as she embarks on her very last year of primary school, it feels like all the rules around her are being broken.
When Evie’s class starts learning about the Earth’s place in the universe, it makes Evie think about her own place in the world and where she belongs. Which has her more worried than ever.
When your mum writes a horoscope page for a living, it’s hard not to think about what the future holds. Especially when she and the only dad Evie has ever known are acting like they’re on different planets. But the more Evie learns about the sky and the stars, the more she learns that changes in the world can’t always be controlled. And maybe that’s not a bad thing.
Friendship, family and feelings collide in this sparkling middle-grade debut from Matilda Prize-winning author, Samera Kamaleddine.
Kamaleddine has written about her own experiences of anxiety and how it’s mapped onto Evie’s to a large degree. While our society is, thankfully, increasingly open to discussing mental health challenges, I feel that kids aren’t always included in this increased awareness. Kamaleddine opens up a discussion about how kids experience anxiety, too, just like adults do. The Sideways Orbit of Evie Hart gives voice to this very common experience, addressing kids who might be struggling with their mental health with so much compassion and validation, and without a hint of patronisation.
Kamaleddine has gifted us with a remarkable narrator in the gorgeous, inquisitive, courageous Evie Hart. I felt such warmth towards her – perhaps because, like Evie, and like Kamaleddine herself, I had a huge ‘worry brain’ of my own as a kid. I remember being Evie’s age, about to finish primary school, and feeling both very grown up and very unequipped to face the big new future that lay ahead of me. Kamaleddine has captured this moment in time so perfectly, and this book will be of great comfort to kids who are navigating similar challenges.
I also remember, at Evie’s age, what a wonderful thing it was to be able to escape into stories, and how I would carry characters around in my head like a secret cast of guardian angels who could help me to face the challenges of my everyday life. Evie would have made an excellent companion.
The Sideways Orbit of Evie Hart is a tender and moving story about one girl’s journey to find her place in the world. I’m so happy that today’s kids get to have a role model like Evie. I recommend it for children aged 8+.
Leave a Reply