Mobile Library by David Whitehead: Review
I would fully understand if you read a precis of this book and thought that it wasn’t for you. That’s what I did. Reading the outline of the book on the back cover I had absolutely no idea just what a fabulous book this is.
The list of characters sounds uninspiring. The plot hardly seems fascinating. And yet this is a terrific book that I recommend highly.
Bobby is twelve years old and he’s not happy at home or at school. His mum has gone and his father (plus the father’s new girlfriend) treat him badly. Bobby meets a young girl, Rosa, and her mother and together, they set off on an adventure. I’m trying hard not to give too much of the plot away here because the way the book unfolds is a delight to read.
As they travel, they meet a fascinating character and together, the foursome develop into a family. This impromptu ‘family unit’ is far better than any they have ever experienced before and they want it to stay that way. The problem is that the police are on their tail.
After all, Bobby is only twelve and Rosa’s mum, Val,is deemed to have kidnapped him.
The other member of their family, they meet in a forest where he is living. An intelligent and good-natured chap, he just happens to also be an escaped prisoner who is on the run from the police.
Their getaway vehicle – and home – is large truck, actually a mobile library. They travel through Britain encountering fascinating characters and enlarging their menagerie. But the police are watching out for them.
Before he left home Bobby’s best friend was a boy called Sunny. Sunny is determined to turn himself into a cyborg so that he can protect Bobby from the school bullies. He fails – sort of – but is a hero anyway.
When you read this book,you can’t see how it could ever have a happy ending. You’ll have to read it to find out whether it does.
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