Artichoke Hearts
Mira describes a month in her life as she turns twelve when everything is changing including her relationships with her friend Millie and her first boyfriend Jidé and she has to decide what to confide and what to conceal. Especially significant is the approaching death of her grandmother, a well drawn character, as are all the members of her Indian/Jewish family. Culturally mixed families are presented here in a realistic way still rare in children’s books. This is a novel with particular appeal for children making the transition from primary to secondary school.
In a sequel Jasmine Skies (9781509855353, Macmillan £7.99) travels to India to discover more about her family’s past. A third book about the Levenson family Tender Earth (9781509812509, Macmillan £6.99) features Mira's younger sister Laila.
