My Life as an Alphabet (Barry Jonsberg, A&U)

Candice Phee is 12, nearly 13, and she is intelligent and helpful, she likes to read the dictionary and Charles Dickens, and her mission in life is to make things better for those around her. The story is narrated in the form of an Alphabet Autobiography, an English assignment that her class has been asked to write as a recount of their own lives. Candice is very literal, and she is compelled to tell the truth. If this sounds reminiscent of Christopher Boone from Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, it is, although Candice is blessed with insight, and a sense of humour. While there are many similarities to Haddon’s book, the impact of My Life as an Alphabet is not as strong, as it is somewhat dissipated by the (sometimes ridiculous) difficulties that every character in the book seems to have. However, Candice’s parents have suffered a truly terrible loss, the death of Candice’s baby sister Frances. This part of the story is beautifully written, and while it is not dwelt on, it does change the texture of the story, and explains the depths of depression that they are both still experiencing, seven years later. Despite this event, Alphabet is a funny book, with lots of amusing incidents and characters, and would be enjoyed by children over 11. Candice is very well meaning, and she does prevail, and manages to set everyone and everything right eventually, with no loose ends.

Louise Pfanner is an author and illustrator, and works part-time in a bookshop

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Category: Reviews