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Artichoke Hearts

4.02 of 5 stars 4.02 · rating details · 249 ratings · 49 reviews

Twelve-year-old Mira comes from a chaotic, artistic and outspoken family where it’s not always easy to be heard. As her beloved Nana Josie's health declines, Mira begins to discover the secrets of those around her, and also starts to keep some of her own. She is drawn to mysterious Jidé, a boy who is clearly hiding a troubled past and has grown hardened layers - like those...more

Paperback, 321 pages

Published August 22nd 2011 by MacMillan Children's Books (first published May 3rd 2011)

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Jul 02, 2011 Jo rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: hometown-glories-uk, ya, good-grief, you-got-a-friend-in-me, e, hometown-ya

Initial Final Page Thoughts.
Cute as a button.And I love buttons.

High Point.
A younger protagonist. Mira is only twelve and at first I thought it was going to be really difficult to relate to her, but she was such a glorious narrator…. But I’ll gush later on. Family! Hometown glory! First crushes. Best friends. Grief and morality. Learning. Writing. Diversity. Metaphors. Amazing teachers (I would stand on a chair for Pat Print). Cute siblings. Grandmas!

Low Points.
“The main thing about me is when...more

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Oct 27, 2012 Stefania rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was super excited to read this book, mainly because the author (being a British born Indian) stood out from the usual authors that reside on my book shelf.
Artichoke Hearts was a humorous read and although it pulled on my heart strings in places, the laughs that surround the book stop it from being a depressive granny's dying read. Mira has an eccentric Nana, which was lovely to read since I do have a special space in my heart for the elderly and I really delighted in the fact that Sita focused...more

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Sep 13, 2012 Laura Hollywood rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book won the Waterstone’s Children’s book prize for 2011, and in my opinion it was well deserved. This book is about two wonderful love stories, that of Mira Levenson and her grandmother Josie (very much the heart and strength of this book), and a boy-girl romance. Mira is from a mixed ethic background her father is English and her mother is Indian, and her beloved grandmother Josie is dying of cancer.

Mira’s grandmother is a colourful and well travelled artist, and in preparation for her d...more

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Apr 29, 2012 Beth Bonini rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-s-book-club

There were so many things that I liked about this book . . . where to start?

This is a classic "coming of age" book, in which various rites-of-passage are experienced by Mira, the 12 year old protagonist. In a short and intense space of time she gets her first period, has her first real crush on a boy, loses a beloved grandparent and finds her true voice.
First of all, the grandmother (whose death of cancer is one of the major plot-points) is one of most endearing, most colourful characters in con...more

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Mar 14, 2012 LH Johnson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: childrens-literature, perfect

A beautiful, elegant tribute to love, difference and life; Artichoke Hearts is something really rather special. The debut novel of Sita Brahmachari, narrated by young Mira Levenson, is one of those quietly stunning books that sidles into your heart and won't leave easily.

Told in a first person narrative, we join Mira just as she's about to start attending Literature Club. If that weren't enough to deal with, things are a bit awkward with her best friend, she's getting bullied at school, she's ab...more

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Jul 22, 2011 Alicia rated it 3 of 5 stars

I didn't really like this book; not that it wasn't well-written or anything, it's just...well, let me put it this way: I received it in December, read halfway through, got bored, put it down and have only just finished it. I think it was mainly because I didn't like Mira all that much (at least at first) and I get the feeling that had I read it when I was the same age as Mira it would be one of my favourite, most touching books. But I didn't and it wasn't, although I would strongly recommend it...more I didn't really like this book; not that it wasn't well-written or anything, it's just...well, let me put it this way: I received it in December, read halfway through, got bored, put it down and have only just finished it. I think it was mainly because I didn't like Mira all that much (at least at first) and I get the feeling that had I read it when I was the same age as Mira it would be one of my favourite, most touching books. But I didn't and it wasn't, although I would strongly recommend it for girls Mira’s age – 10-13 year olds – as they will be going through the same experiences of starting secondary school, having their first period, experiencing their first love (though I really feel she was a bit too young to have a boyfriend and felt uncomfortable reading about snogging between two twelve year olds, even if they acted much older and you often forget that they are only in Year 7).

However, when I recently picked it back up, the story grew on me, quite a bit. It’s still not my favourite book, but for me, it definitely improved a great deal and I warmed to Mira a lot more – at first I thought she moaned a bit too much about her life and that it wasn't really ‘spinning out of control’ as proclaimed, but I soon warmed to her, and began to appreciate what she was going through, especially having gone through similar experiences myself. By the end, I saw why it won the Waterstone's Children's Book Prize 2011, though it still isn't my 'cup of tea'.

There were some very good things about it - the cover, for instance is literally stunning and there were parts of the story that I loved, like the subtle symbolisms - Pat Print as a guardian angel - and the impressive insight featured in the book. It was an extremely poignant novel, delicately handling (though perhaps a bit too delicately - the characters don't tend to show a lot of emotion) the death of Nana Josie, with the lovely underlying message that death is a time for hope and celebration, not sorrow and grief; and you could really feel Mira’s pain at having to watch her beloved grandma slip away more and more each day. I also began to see why Josie was so beloved by all - she was fun, wise and extraordinary, someone I would be privileged to know in real life. This is a inspirational, touching and thought-provoking novel that will really stay with you after you turn the last page, whether you liked it or not. (less)

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Apr 16, 2011 Zoe Crook rated it 5 of 5 stars

This novel is Sita's debut novel and I after reading it, I am very excited what more she has to offer us! Mira is a 12 year-old girl and in just one month a lot changes. I love the diary format it is in, and the metaphor illustrations she draws. Jide is a boy she has known for a while and starts to fall for him, she starts lying and drifting away from her best friend and most of all - her Nana is dying.

This is so powerfully written I think it is one of my favourite reads. It deals with typical t...more

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Mar 14, 2011 Teresa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Winner of Waterstone’s Children’s Book Prize 2011, Artichoke Hearts is a very impressive debut novel. It’s a coming of age novel with an array of big themes including first love, bereavement, family relationships, friendship and bullying.

Our narrator, twelve year old Mira Levenson, takes us through a month in her life via a diary project for her creative writing class at school – a month in which she has her first period, her first love in the shape of Jide Jackson, her first bereavement as her...more Winner of Waterstone’s Children’s Book Prize 2011, Artichoke Hearts is a very impressive debut novel. It’s a coming of age novel with an array of big themes including first love, bereavement, family relationships, friendship and bullying.

Our narrator, twelve year old Mira Levenson, takes us through a month in her life via a diary project for her creative writing class at school – a month in which she has her first period, her first love in the shape of Jide Jackson, her first bereavement as her beloved Nana Josie enters a hospice for her final days. Mira lacks confidence and finds it difficult to make herself heard amid the chaos of her family life and the hierarchy imposed by her more extroverted classmates.

I loved the relationship between Mira and Nana Josie, who still dresses in a hippy style as it suits her and who has spent a lifetime protesting against injustice. Josie is so full of life, even as her days draw to an end, painting her own coffin in bright colours in preparation for her funeral. The whole concept of bereavement and loss is handled very sensitively, yes there is sadness but it’s offset by Josie’s positivity the ripples of which affect all her loved ones.

“Aren’t you frightened for her?” asks Jide.

Frightened? I think it’s a strange question. It has never crossed my mind to be frightened of Nana dying.

“No, I’m not. I think it’s because she’s not frightened and she’s got everyone around her who loves her.”

Also the growing relationship between Jide and Mira is presented beautifully – you can almost hear Mira’s shrieks of delight when Jide sends her a text ending with an “x”. He has experienced loss too as he was orphaned in the Rwandan Civil War and eventually opens up to Mira about his feelings about the past, his identity and anxieties about the future.

Artichoke Hearts is an ideal read for 11+ girls and indeed, older girls like me, tackling serious themes in a grounded way without ever feeling preachy or pompous and having the added bonus of being very well written. Sita Brahmachari has certainly made her mark in children’s fiction and I look forward to reading her next book.

(less)

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Jan 17, 2011 Lyndsey Rushby rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

The story is told from 12 year old Mira’s POV. Before starting to read this one, I was a little unsure about what I was going to think seeing as the main character is younger than most of the characters that I prefer to read about. Artichoke Hearts was a little slow to get started and it took me a couple of chapters until I was really immersed in the story and then, I didn’t want to put it down.

Mira was a lovely character and I found myself liking her so much more than I thought I would. The ma...more The story is told from 12 year old Mira’s POV. Before starting to read this one, I was a little unsure about what I was going to think seeing as the main character is younger than most of the characters that I prefer to read about. Artichoke Hearts was a little slow to get started and it took me a couple of chapters until I was really immersed in the story and then, I didn’t want to put it down.

Mira was a lovely character and I found myself liking her so much more than I thought I would. The majority of the book is told from entries in Mira’s diary, part of the writing class that she is a part of at school. The only chapter that isn’t is the first and that gives a quick run through of what is happening. For a 12 year old, Mira was extremely articulate and I found her beautifully written voice wonderful to follow. At times, it was like a young adult was writing this diary and I found myself forgetting that she was 12 years old at some points. What I really liked about Mira was that she was very in touch with who she was, even though she really didn’t show it to many people. You could tell when Mira was really comfortable with someone, like her Nana, because then you got to see a really special side to her.

Knowing that her Nana Josie is dying, Mira has quite a lot to deal with to begin with. Being 12, she has hormones all over the place, crushes on boys (or one boy in this case) and is trying to find the confidence to be who she really is around everyone else. I really enjoyed the way that Mira expressed herself in her diary and lets the reader deep into her life. Her interactions with family and friends was entertaining but also gives a look into different family dynamics and how people cope with an ill relative. I loved Nana Josie. Even though she knew she was dying, she wanted to make the most of the last of her days. She wasn’t about to let anyone tell her no when she wanted to do something and had such a strong personality. It was also good to be able to see how she acted around other people, especially family members who knew how ill she was. I wasn’t expecting this to be a coming of age story but as well as that, Artichoke Hearts is sad, funny and heart-warming all at the same time.

The younger characters in Artichoke Hearts were all very interesting and different. Mira’s best friend Millie isn’t really like her at all but she is always there no matter what. I did find a couple of things about their friendship strange and maybe you will feel the same if you read this book, until then though, I don’t want to give too much away about why. Jidé and Ben, the two boys in the writing class, who are also best friends were great characters. I loved how different they were and how they managed to add a lot of humour to the story. Also, I could see something really special in both boys, making them really adorable and likable.

Artichoke Hearts is so much more than I could have ever imagined. Apart from the initial slow start, I really enjoyed this book and would happily recommend it! (less)

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Aug 11, 2011 Jo rated it 2 of 5 stars

This is the first novel by this author. The book deals with many issues: death, love, friendship, loyalty, bullying and family life.

The book lacked a real storyline and I found myself losing interest at times. I felt that the author introduced many issues (see above) and in doing this did not develop the story.

However it was a brave attempt to deal with many sensitive issues and I think many teenagers will enjoy the book. I particularly liked the Grandmother who has cancer and is dying as I lik...more

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Feb 15, 2013 Ko rated it 4 of 5 stars

A lovely, sensitive account of a girl dealing with losing her beloved Nana to cancer, starting her period, starting secondary school and meeting her first boyfriend along with all of the emotions that go with this.
The writing is in the first person. Mira turns 12 and starts her period on the day her eccentric artist Nana Josie has a cardboard coffin delivered and asks Mira to paint it with her. This book made me smile and cry (lots) but was not a depressing book, raher an uplifting story of lif...more

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Oct 11, 2012 Jessica Broughton rated it 4 of 5 stars

I must start by saying that this book is very emotional, and has a lot of underlying sub-plots to it. The main storyline is that the main character's grandmother is dying, and it is a very painful time for her. When the grandmother dies there is a lot of detail about the grievance from the main character, and there is a sudden depression arising. The book is overall very well written and was un-put-downable for me! I think that the author could have added a couple more chapters on when the grand...more

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Feb 15, 2013 Amy rated it 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved this book. I've never cried at a book, but I almost did at this one! It was absolutely brilliant, one of those books where you have a different perspective of life after you've finished reading it. It was brilliant, and the way it was written, in diary format, added an extra piece of magic to it. Usually, I can't stand books that have been wrote like a diary, but I couldn't stop putting Artichoke Hearts down! It was such a sweet story. I especially like Jide Jackson, he's kind...more

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Jul 31, 2011 Claire rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2011

I don't give 5* lightly. But this book was absolutely incredible. It has probably the nicest cover art that I've seen in a lot while (I love bright, bright beats dark). I loved that it dealt with the issue of death but was such a light and beautiful story too. The fact that it was about a twelve year old didn't bother me at all, in fact.. I prefered it that way. The romance involved was so sweet and innocent, something I think what childhood love should be about. I really recommend this book. It...more

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Jul 19, 2012 Camila added it

Just finished translating this. It was one of the hardest ones for me to translate because I lost my dear grandma last Xmas, and this is a story of a granddaughter saying goodbye to her grandma. Such a sensible novel for youngsters. Delicate, well-written, full of interesting characters with interesting opinions. The grandma offers a really nice and deep perspective on death, loss and love. And she is an artist, which I think is the best thing about this novel - it does really encourage people t...more

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Jan 15, 2013 Booka Uhu rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 9-12-reads

Needless to say, this is an absolute tearjerker (I got through at least two boxes of tissues, I swear) but it’s not just tears for tears sake. There’s real thought gone in to the happy scenes of Sita and her Granma Josie happily decorating Josie’s coffin, exploring their dual artistic sides as best and enthusiastically as they can. The scenes in the hospice show real care and possibly endless rewrites have gone into them and all in all it’s a book that leaves you thinking as much about the auth...more Needless to say, this is an absolute tearjerker (I got through at least two boxes of tissues, I swear) but it’s not just tears for tears sake. There’s real thought gone in to the happy scenes of Sita and her Granma Josie happily decorating Josie’s coffin, exploring their dual artistic sides as best and enthusiastically as they can. The scenes in the hospice show real care and possibly endless rewrites have gone into them and all in all it’s a book that leaves you thinking as much about the author and her writing process as much as you do about the story.

Sita’s first romance is a surprise too and shows real depth has been given to the book’s characters – I did not see Jide’s story coming and it’s handled so beautifully. Few authors could introduce a ‘Surprise Background!’ to a character in the middle of a story, let alone one as deeply personal as Jide’s, without making it seem like shock for shock value. Brahmachari is one of them, and hats off to her for that.

Despite it’s grim plotline, this is not a wholly sad book. Brahmachari does a brilliant job in making a book about death uplifting as well as thought-provoking and to be honest I have absolutely no idea how she’s done it. I can’t think of anything in particular that leaves you pointing at it as the reason you leave with a good feeling at the end of the book, which could well mean it’s so subtle and woven into the story so seamlessly that you can’t help but end the book feeling better than you thought you would at the start.

Undoubtedly this is a book to be careful with. It’s not a book that should be read by everyone, because not everyone would be able to cope with it or it’s subject matter of cancer. I’m not entirely sure I was, some parts of it resonated a little too much for me and I can’t honestly say it’s a book I will definitely be able to go back to any time soon. I will however always remember it, and remember it positively. I don’t rule out the possibility entirely that given a few years, I will want to reread it. Few books have affected me the way this has, and I mean that in the best possible way.(less)

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Mar 15, 2012 Sofia rated it 5 of 5 stars

I got this book free at the start of Year 7 (October last year) because here in England every child gets a free book out of a selection from the government at school.
I loved this book. It was a bit hard to get into but when you did it really was amazing :) It's really sad, too. It doesn't mean it's bad though! It's a really good book and I'd recommend it to everyone. Really cute <3

PS: I love how she practically hyperventilates over her crush sending her texts with one more kiss at the end th...more

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Feb 12, 2012 Vikki VanSickle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: middle-grade

Those of you who have read my book Words That Start With B and its follow up, Love is a Four-Letter Word will understand why I love Artichoke Hearts. Narrator Mira Levenson could be my narrator Clarissa Louise Delaney’s English cousin. Both of them are wry, funny, grown up in some ways, and very young in others. Exactly what I want in my contemporary middle grade fiction.

Mira Levenson starts a journal after signing up for a writing class with the appropriately named Miss Print. Her best friend M...more Those of you who have read my book Words That Start With B and its follow up, Love is a Four-Letter Word will understand why I love Artichoke Hearts. Narrator Mira Levenson could be my narrator Clarissa Louise Delaney’s English cousin. Both of them are wry, funny, grown up in some ways, and very young in others. Exactly what I want in my contemporary middle grade fiction.

Mira Levenson starts a journal after signing up for a writing class with the appropriately named Miss Print. Her best friend Millie, who she feels has been drifting away from her, along with loud-mouthed Ben and mysterious Jidé are also in the class. The journal turns out to be the perfect place for Mira to work out her feelings about Jidé, Millie, and the impending death of her beloved Nana Josie.

It is easy to see why Mira will miss her grandmother. Nana Josie is a warm, vibrant character who is just as fun as she is wise. She is the kind of person who orders her coffin in advance so she can paint a mural on it. The relationship between Mira and Nana Josie is touching and realistic, in fact all of the relationships in this book feel that way. This is one of the reasons Nana Josie’s death, and the varied reactions of each of the Levensons, is so heartbreaking and rich.

On one hand this is a book about death. Author Sita Brahmachari has created an honest portrayal of a family preparing for the death of a loved one. Because the reader is made aware early on that Nana Josie is dying and will die by the end of the book, her death is less traumatic. Kids with questions about death (or are grieving themselves) will get a lot out of this book, including how hospices work, the different ways people deal with death, and how to celebrate a life. This being said, readers who are just looking for a good story will be equally satisfied.

More than anything else, this is a book about life going on in spite of death. Mira gets her period, discovers first love, flexes her wings as a writer, all while her grandmother prepares to die. I loved this about the book- the world doesn’t stop when someone dies, though it might feel that way at times. You can be happy and in love even while you are grieving. This is often something that is missed in books that deal with similar subjects. Not so in Artichoke Hearts.

Something else I love about English books is the inventive vocabulary. British children’s fiction, particularly contemporary realistic fiction, is full of amazing slang that I wish I could adopt in my life without my roommates looking at me funny. Every time I use words like splodgy, one of my friends will ask with a pained expression on their face, “Are you reading British kids books again?”

Artichoke Hearts is a funny, tender and realistic book for readers 9-14 who enjoy real stories about real kids. Fans of Judy Blume, Kit Pearson, Susin Nielsen, Sharon Creech, and my books (if I can be so bold as to include my name on this list) will love dipping into Mira’s world. Though the issues may seem heavy, this is a warm, delightful read. I am eagerly anticipating the follow up, Jasmine Skies(less)

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Jul 21, 2011 Dormouse rated it 4 of 5 stars

I liked this book.

It's about a 12 year old girl and things that happen to her over a few weeks. There's her relationship with her dying grandmother. There are her parents and siblings. There's her closest friend and the boy she likes. And there are teachers and schoolmates and so on.

From the start of the book, nobody says anything. By which I mean, the verb 'said' was curiously missing. People whispered and asked and boomed and beamed and agreed and yelled and at first I found it odd and slight...more

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Dec 15, 2012 Stephanie (Stepping out of the Page) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own, young-adult, series-or-companions, realistic-fiction, read-in-2012, medical-conditions, cultural, contemporary, better-than-expected

Artichoke Hearts is a book that I had been meaning to get around to reading since I heard about it (which was quite a long time ago!). To be honest, at first look I wasn't expecting all that much - the cover seemed a little 'young' and the blurb just sounded average. However, once I saw the amount of positive attention that the book was receiving, I really wanted to check it out. This book was still much better than expected!

This story is not only about our protagonist, 12 year old Mira, but als...more Artichoke Hearts is a book that I had been meaning to get around to reading since I heard about it (which was quite a long time ago!). To be honest, at first look I wasn't expecting all that much - the cover seemed a little 'young' and the blurb just sounded average. However, once I saw the amount of positive attention that the book was receiving, I really wanted to check it out. This book was still much better than expected!

This story is not only about our protagonist, 12 year old Mira, but also about everyone around her. Though I would say that this is probably aimed towards teenagers or the younger group of YA readers, it actually deals with a huge amount of issues There are a lot of typical teenage worries explored in this book, in a very connectable way - younger teens may be able to relate with some of Mira's problems, where as the slightly older readers will probably look back with some sort of memory of what it was like to be a Mira's age. Brahmachari has been very successful with her portrayal of a twelve year old girl and it was great to read about an Indian/Jewish character, someone with a cultural history, without that being the main subject of the book. Whoever you are and wherever you live, I think that a lot of people will be able to connect with her. Our protagonist does seem like a real, tangible person, her thoughts and feelings are very realistic. Alongside these usual teen worries, the author also included some more serious problems - such as grief and the loss of loved ones, subjects that are really hard hitting.

We do go on a 'journey' with Mira as she experiences new feelings and goes through a major life event, losing one of the most important people to her, her Nana Josie. We're introduced to a lot of different characters in this book and all of them seem authentic and likeable. I became truly immersed in Mira's world and found myself caring for everyone through their troubles, wishing I could give them a hug! I honestly felt as though I could read a separate book for each character - they all had such substance and history, especially the fantastically intriguing Nana Josie who we get to learn so much about.

I wasn't expecting this to be such a coming of age novel, but I'm so glad that it was - I was very impressed and will certainly be reading more by the very talented Brahmachari in the future. This is one of the best 'younger' young adult books that I have read and would certainly recommend it to any teenager. (less)

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Aug 21, 2012 Ilonita50 rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: indian, culture

A heart warming book. Suggest to read. Its a story about girl's feelings when her granny is about to die and nobody can do anything about it..its sort of waiting when you dont want to. At the same tme with all the "waiting" Mira face changes in her lfe, her feelings developing for classmate and the way if Writting class "opens" Mira's personality and she's not anymore the girl she used to be..shy and scarred. I did find the middle often abit boring but than it all get well and finished reading w...more

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Sep 01, 2011 Amy rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was pretty much about dealing with life during the death of a family member. It was quite sad at parts, but funny and uplifting at others. It gives you lots of things to think about, and even though I've read other books about the same subject that I liked better, I still enjoyed this one.

I liked the characters, and I liked reading about Mira's interactions with her friends and family members, even though I thought they were a little bit unrealistic at times. I think younger readers w...more

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May 19, 2013 Lowenna rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really liked this book. I think I was given it as a gift and since then, I have been hooked on Sita Brahmachari's books. The first time I read this book, I didn't find it too weepy. But then the second time I read it just recently, I found myself tearing up for personal reasons.
It really tugs at the heart strings and has some intriguing perceptions.
A definite read.

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Mar 05, 2013 Sara rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book was amazinggggggg!!!!!!!!!!!It really made me cry where Mira Levenson was looking at her grandmother's clothes remembering what she used to do with her and the stories she used to tell her and how everytime she wanted to do something she hears her Nana Josie's advice to her before she died!I really advice all the girls in my class to read it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Mar 23, 2012 Miriam Halahmy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: my-books

Just finished this today. Poignant heart warming story of first love and first loss as twelve year old Mira copes with her treasured grandmother dying of cancer, as she starts a relationship with Jide, a survivor of the Rwanda genocide. A novel about growing up and all the changes that entails.

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Dec 18, 2011 Tjala rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: freya

Recommended to Tjala by: library

Shelves: 8-12-year-olds, beautiful, easy-reads, compelling, sad, romantic-without-being-boring, top-100

thuis book made me cry. a lot. it was really well written but i thought that some parts were a bit unnesscesary. all the characters had there own stories and they were combined into this beautifully written tale. i loved the characters and the idea of the artichoke was beautiful.

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Mar 07, 2012 Elizabeth rated it 5 of 5 stars

really enjoyed it. it is about a 12 yr old girl called mira leverson whos grandma is dying and how she deals with loss and her new boyfriend jede. really good 10-13yrs age group. really enjoyed it !

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Mar 17, 2013 Eleanor rated it 4 of 5 stars

I found this book quite good but a bit sad at times. I loved the story but it was a bit sad a lot of the time. I thought that Mira and Jidé made a great couple.

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May 10, 2011 Lias rated it 5 of 5 stars

I love this book, I have read it about four times at this rate. It's like Judy Blume but even sweeter. I cried and laughed and most of all, I wanted to read it again

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May 20, 2012 Safiyya rated it 5 of 5 stars

Artichoke Hearts was just one of many examples of teenager+ book. I think that the story line had some difficult topics to cover such as love and death. I think it was covered exceptionally well and I think that needs commending. However, the balance between both the love and death was rather unbalanced. However, to end on a positive note, I think that the illustrator did a fantastic job with the front cover and clearly portrayed certain aspects of Mira Levenson's (the main character's) life. Ov...more

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About Sita Brahmachari

Sita was born in Derby in 1966, to an Indian doctor from Kolkata and an English nurse from the Lake District. She has a BA in English Literature and an MA in Arts Education. Her many projects and writing commissions have been produced in theatres, universities, schools and community groups throughout Britain and America. ARTICHOKE HEARTS is her first novel for young people. Sita lives and works in...more

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“Most people, by the time they get old, have grown tough little shells around their hearts. Babies, like little Laila, start off with tender, loving, trusting hearts, but gradually, gradually, they learn to protect themselves and, as the years go by, grow tougher and tougher layers. Look at this! The outside layers of the artichoke are so tough they aren’t even worth eating but they become more and more tender as you come closer to the heart. These tough outer layers stop you feeling so much, so people walk around with hard little hearts that no one can touch. Of course there are some people who don’t have a choice – they just never learn to protect themselves...now that can be both a blessing and a burden.” — 4 people liked it

“Mira Levenson. Aged twelve. Looks, long dark shiny hair, dark brown eyes (almost black), brown skin. Beautiful. Favorite colour, copper orange, I think. Personality, clever, bright, serious, shy, funny without realizing it, holds back her thoughts, mystery girl, arty. What I've noticed: she's stronger than she thinks she is; she doesn't speak much ay school. What I know: she's got a loud laugh (when she lets it out). Her best friend is Millie Lockhart. She doesn't need Millie as much as she thinks she does. Her grandmother is dying and she loves her. She started talking in Pat Print's class. I know she doesn't know how much I think of her, how much I miss her if she's not around. What I think she thinks about me is that I'm a bit of a joker, but I'm deadly serious.

Deer...apple...green...sea...
See you on Friday!
Love
Jidé” — 1 person liked it

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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9208646-artichoke-hearts?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1349320735l/9208646.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9208646-artichoke-hearts?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Artichoke Hearts by Sita Brahmachari[/url]

Artichoke Hearts

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