Today dear readers I am on the blog tour for Norah’s Ark (Published 29th August 2023) By Victoria Williamson. A big thank you to the publishers Neem Tree Press for sending me a copy to read and review, always appreciated. Also to WriteReadsTours for inviting me to take part in the tour.
Norah’s Ark
Two very different lives. One shared hope for a brighter future. No time to waste. The flood is coming…
Eleven-year-old Norah Day lives in temporary accommodation, relies on foodbanks for dinner, and doesn’t have a mum. But she’s happy enough, as she has a dad, a pet mouse, a pet spider, and a whole zoo of rescued local wildlife to care for. Eleven-year-old Adam Sinclair lives with his parents in a nice house with a big garden, a private tutor, and everything he could ever want. But his life isn’t perfect – far from it. He’s recovering from leukaemia and is questioning his dream of becoming a champion swimmer. When a nest of baby birds brings them together, Norah and Adam discover they’re not so different after all. Can Norah help Adam find his confidence again? Can Adam help Norah solve the mystery of her missing mother? And can their teamwork save their zoo of rescued animals from the rising flood? Offering powerful lessons in empathy, Norah’s Ark is a hopeful and uplifting middle-grade tale for our times about friendship and finding a sense of home in the face of adversity.
About The Author
Victoria Williamson is an award-winning author who grew up in Scotland surrounded by hills, books, and an historical farm estate which inspired many of her early adventure stories and spooky tales. After studying Physics at the University of Glasgow, she set out on her own real-life adventures, which included teaching maths and science in Cameroon, training teachers in Malawi, teaching English in China and working with children with additional support needs in the UK. Victoria currently works part time writing KS2 books for the education company Twinkl and spends the rest of her time writing novels, and visiting schools, libraries and literary festivals to give author talks and run creative writing workshops.
Victoria’s previous novels include The Fox Girl and the White Gazelle, The Boy with the Butterfly Mind, Hag Storm, and War of the Wind. She has won the Bolton Children’s Fiction Award 2020/2021, The YA-aldi Glasgow Secondary School Libraries Book Award 2023, and has been shortlisted for the Week Junior Book Awards 2023, The Leeds Book Awards 2023, the Red Book Award 2023, the James Reckitt Hull Book Awards 2021, The Trinity School Book Awards 2021, and longlisted for the ABA South Coast Book Awards 2023, the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2020, and the Branford Boase Award 2019.
Her latest novel, The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams, is a middle grade fantasy inspired by classic folklore. Twenty percent of the author royalties for this book are donated to CharChar Literacy, an organisation working to improve children’s literacy levels in Malawi.
My Review
Two different childhoods but one shared dream, Norah and Adam live completely opposite lives but are both caged. They both want their freedom and to have a friend. The story follows both Norah and Adam in first person, they are both worlds apart from each other but share the same love and affection for saving animals.
Norah moves from B&B to B&B with her dad who relies on benefits and food banks to make ends meet. They have no permanent accommodation and struggle to remember a time when they had a place they could call home. She spends most of her time at the park riding her bike and rescuing animals while her father goes to the betting shop and looks for a job. Norah believes that she is the only girl in the world that doesn’t have a mum as her Dad tells her she was born in a test tube in a science lab. Norah knows that her Dad doesn’t always tell the truth but feels stupid because she has missed a lot of school because they have been moving from place to place. Her Dad lost his job years ago and struggles to get another one. This is her life, instant noodles with ketchup and riding her bike.
On the other-side of the fence, the posh neighbourhood is Adam. He lives in a big, expensive house with his parents. He doesn’t go to school as he has his own private tutor. His overprotective mother is terrified of him picking up germs and getting ill again as he is recovering from cancer. He longs to go back to school and achieve his dream of being an Olympic swimmer. But because of all the medication he has had to have he has ballooned in size and struggles with his weight.
Norah has been looking after a nest of baby birds and is shocked to find they have disappeared when she goes to check on them. Norah spies Adam with the baby bird’s nest and sets out to rescue them. When Adam catches her in the act in his treehouse, their two worlds collide. They quickly realise that they both want the same thing, to make sure the birds survive and set them free.
The pair soon become friends and enjoy spending time together yet hold back the truth about their lives. Norah doesn’t want to tell Adam that her Dad is on benefits and they are actually homeless as she worries he will look at her different like the mean kids do at school. Adam hides his illness from Norah as he doesn’t want her to treat him different like everyone else does. They both envy each other for different reasons. Norah wishes she had a home and both devoted parents like Adam does, while Adam wishes he had the freedom Norah has, to go about on her bike and be in nature. It’s a beautiful friendship to watch unfold as they care for each other and share a fondness of animals. It makes you feel all fuzzy and warm knowing that these two 11 year olds are no longer alone, they have a friend.
I give Norah’s Ark By Victoria Williamson a Four out of Five paw rating
Delightfully charming and a pleasure to read. I was transported back to my innocent youthful days where life was bliss.
This story is heartwarming and will bring a tear to your eye. The most unlikely friendship in the most unfortunate of situations.
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Great review. Thank you for sharing.