When Dad Was Away

Liz Weir

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1845079132 ISBN 13: 9781845079130

Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children's Books, 2012

When Mum tells Milly that Dad has been sent to prison, Milly feels angry and confused. She can't believe her dad won't be at home to read her stories and make her laugh.

But soon Mum takes Milly and her brother Sam to visit Dad in prison, and a week later a special package arrives at home - a cd of Milly's favourite animal stories, read especially for her by Dad. At Christmas the family go to a party at the prison, and in the spring there's an even better surprise for Milly and Sam...

Review:

'A moving and thought-provoking book . . . beautifully and sensitively written . . . and stunningly and very atmospherically illustrated.'

(School Librarian)

'This should reassure children who have members of their family in jail.'

(Bookwitch)

'This sensitive story echoes the realities for children of prisoners, the hidden victims of crime.'

(Booktrust)

This sensitive and thoughtful book would be a good fixture in any public or primary-school library.

(Irish Times)

What a great team this author-illustrator pair make in producing such a compassionate story, so sensitively told and delicately illustrated, for families coping with someone they love in prison.

(Early Years Educator)

The illustrations have an attractive gravity and naturalness, and the prison scenes are impressively clear and sobering. It will be an educative and absorbing read for children lucky enough not to be sharing this experience and indispensable for those who are.

(Kate Kellaway Observer)

This thoughtful, significant book softly underlines coming to terms with family crises.

(Irish Examiner)

About the Author:

LIZ WEIR is a professional storyteller and writer from Northern Ireland. Formerly children's librarian for the city of Belfast, she now works extensively in schools and prisons, and travels the world telling stories to adults and children. Weir is the author of two collections of stories for children, Boom Chicka Boom and Here, There and Everywhere. She has presented 'The Gift of the Gab', a storytelling series for BBC Radio Ulster.
KARIN LITTLEWOOD studied Graphic Design at Newcastle University, followed by an MA in illustration at Manchester University. Swallow Journey was nominated for the Kate Greenaway Medal 2001. Her titles for Frances Lincoln are The Colour of Home, Catherine's Story (ISBN 9781845076559), Home Now (ISBN 9781845071059) and Home for Christmas (ISBN 9781845071370) She lives in London.