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Jo and the Old Man of the Sea
Sea, sand, stone, sky. A seaside home, year-round; the place where Jo watches birds, wanders along the beach, daydreams, reads books, walks the dogs, goes to school, volunteers for extra work, and doesn't worry about being called a loner.
Jo has grown up in an ancient, pebble-walled cottage in a beautiful seaside village: an almost-idyllic childhood, free to roam the beach and the wetlands. Jo knows the security of a small but close-knit family: mother, grandad, and a grandmother who lives further away, who still mourns the loss of her son, Jo's father, and of Jo's father's best friend, a man who is still missing. On learning about the missing friend, Jo begins to understand homelessness and the results of trauma.
This is a story of unfettered childhood, of heartbreak, and of shining, blue-sky hope, set in a beautiful place that many people visit just for a week or two in summer.
The plight of so many people without homes, the struggle of military veterans with PTSD, and happy memories of childhood summers spent on England's North Norfolk coast, come together in this first novel by Alison Toon.
Jo has grown up in an ancient, pebble-walled cottage in a beautiful seaside village: an almost-idyllic childhood, free to roam the beach and the wetlands. Jo knows the security of a small but close-knit family: mother, grandad, and a grandmother who lives further away, who still mourns the loss of her son, Jo's father, and of Jo's father's best friend, a man who is still missing. On learning about the missing friend, Jo begins to understand homelessness and the results of trauma.
This is a story of unfettered childhood, of heartbreak, and of shining, blue-sky hope, set in a beautiful place that many people visit just for a week or two in summer.
The plight of so many people without homes, the struggle of military veterans with PTSD, and happy memories of childhood summers spent on England's North Norfolk coast, come together in this first novel by Alison Toon.
172 pages, Paperback
Published February 26, 2017
About the author
Alison Toon
8 books13 followersAlison Toon was born in Leicester, England, where her ancestors have lived since the 1500's. (They include carpenters, blacksmiths, painters, farmers, frame knitters and the occasional felon.) She has lived and worked in England, the Netherlands, France and on both the West and East coasts of the USA. Her favourite places in the world include England's North Norfolk (which she searched for, but failed to find, on New York's Long Island), plus a few other diverse locations around Europe, the Middle East and Asia, which you'll find cropping up in her books and photography. Alison is currently based near Sacramento in California.
She's been working in the high-tech industry for many years, helping companies market, sell and support their products and services all around the globe, in the languages that their customers speak at home.
Alison Toon is also an award-winning photographer who specialises in concerts and music festivals and other events, as well as international travel. See alisontoon.com and happybaabaa.com for photos and book info.
She's been working in the high-tech industry for many years, helping companies market, sell and support their products and services all around the globe, in the languages that their customers speak at home.
Alison Toon is also an award-winning photographer who specialises in concerts and music festivals and other events, as well as international travel. See alisontoon.com and happybaabaa.com for photos and book info.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 8, 2018
A beautiful story, full of compassion, growth, friendship, love and awareness. This should be on school reading lists. It takes a young girl on a journey of discovery that expands her world and makes it better for those around her.
I'm buying a copy for my daughter to add to her library for her students, because I'm keeping my copy in my library for my grandchildren to read.
I'm buying a copy for my daughter to add to her library for her students, because I'm keeping my copy in my library for my grandchildren to read.
April 4, 2017
what a heartwarming story this was. it made me happy and sad at times. i just loved it
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews