Promotional Information

A warm, funny and moving novel that will have you in fits of laughter one minute and in tears the next.

About the Author

Candy Gourlay is a Filipino author based in London. Her debut novel Tall Story won the Crystal Kite Prize for Europe and the National Book Award in the Philippines. It was nominated for the Carnegie Medal and shortlisted for 13 prizes including the Blue Peter, the Waterstones Prize and the Branford Boase. When she’s not blogging, Candy loves taking photographs and making videos. Shine is her second novel. www.candygourlay.com

Reviews

Gourlay spins slender threads of wishes and prayers, magic and miracles, desires and redemption
and weaves together an impressively sweet and rich tale
*Kirkus*

I enjoyed Candy Gourlay's Tall Story
*Observer*

This is a story that is funny, sad and magical. I thought the author chose a good subject to write about because she wrote about very real emotions. She also added a bit of imagination which made it very interesting. The main characters tell the story in alternate chapters. I would recommend this book - pure brilliant!
*Teen Titles*

Gr 6-9-Separated for years by immigration restrictions, Bernardo, a Philippine teen, finally gets legal permission to join his mother, a nurse, in England. His younger half sister, Andi, can't wait to meet her eight-foot-tall brother and share with him her love of basketball. Bernardo's desire to join his family is tempered by his loyalty to his village where he is compared to a legendary giant revered as a protector from earthquakes. After arriving in England, Bernardo gets medical help for a pituitary tumor and seizures; inadvertently propels his sister into realizing her dream of playing basketball; and reconciles his fears about leaving his village. Bernardo and Andi tell their compelling, heartwarming reunion story in alternating chapters. Bernardo grapples with adjusting to life in England, physical pain and superstition, and guilt when an earthquake destroys his Philippine village. Meanwhile, Andi struggles to fit into a new school and cope with added family responsibilities. Contemporary Tagalong and British vernacular enhance the brother/sister narration and enliven the depiction of cultures. In her first young adult novel, Gourlay offers an appealing blend of diverse characters, emotional conflicts, well-paced action, and an upbeat finale. The challenges facing separated, immigrant families and the universal teen desire for acceptance and respect ring true.-Gerry Larson, Durham School of the Arts, NC (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Gourlay spins slender threads of wishes and prayers, magic and miracles, desires and redemption
and weaves together an impressively sweet and rich tale

* Kirkus *
I enjoyed Candy Gourlay's Tall Story * Observer *
This is a story that is funny, sad and magical. I thought the author chose a good subject to write about because she wrote about very real emotions. She also added a bit of imagination which made it very interesting. The main characters tell the story in alternate chapters. I would recommend this book - pure brilliant! * Teen Titles *