Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for When Shadows Fall by Sita Brahmachari. A beautiful and timely story that explores themes of grief, mental health, and community. This book has been 20 years in the making and is complemented by gorgeous illustrations from Natalie Sirett. A gripping and poignant read from beginning to end, and you can't help but follow the characters into the dark shadows of torment and loss.
Kai, Orla and Zak grew up together, their days spent on the patch of wilderness in between their homes, a small green space in a sprawling grey city. Music, laughter and friendship bind them together and they have big plans for their future - until Kai’s family suffers a huge loss.
Trying to cope with his own grief, as well as watching it tear his family apart, Kai is drawn into a more dangerous crowd, until his dreams for the future are a distant memory. Excluded from school and retreating from his loved ones, it seems as though his path is set, his story foretold. Orla, Zak and classmate Om are determined to help him find his way back. But are they too late?
Trying to cope with his own grief, as well as watching it tear his family apart, Kai is drawn into a more dangerous crowd, until his dreams for the future are a distant memory. Excluded from school and retreating from his loved ones, it seems as though his path is set, his story foretold. Orla, Zak and classmate Om are determined to help him find his way back. But are they too late?
"Survive It" by Ghost Poet - The perfect song for Kai
"Rise Up" by Ayanna Witter-Johnson
Zak - "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong
Album: "Beyond Skin" by Nitin Sawhney
As a bonus, Sita has found the perfect song to encapsulate the friendship between Kai, Orla, and Zak. May I add, that this is a beautiful piece for it too. This story broke my heart. But by the end left me with a feeling of hope and put my heart together again through seeing the pure power of friendship and the support that can be so valuable during hard times.
The Friendship - "When We Were Young" by Adele
When Shadows Fall by Sita Brahmachari is out now! You can find links for this book below or support your local bookshop.
About the author
Sita Brahmachari is an award-winning author. She has been nominated for the CILIP Carnegie Medal five times, won the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize in 2011 and has been bestowed with the IBBY Honour. WHERE THE RIVER RUNS GOLD was Waterstones Children’s Book of the Month in 2019 and Sita has a World Book Day title in 2021. An ambassador for Amnesty, Sita is passionate about safeguarding human rights and diverse voices being heard, which comes through in her thoughtful and sensitive storytelling. She is based in North London. http://www.sitabrahmachari.com
Natalie Sirett is a multimedia artist with a multi-faceted practice exploring us, our icons, our stories. http://www.sirett.com
Thank you to Little Tiger Press and the wonderful Nina Douglas for the invitation to be a part of this tour!
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