“All children are afraid of the dark,” says ten-year-old Mafalda sagely, and she knows this more than most, for her world is misting over. At some point in the next six months she will lose her sight to Stargardt Disease. Mafalda tries to get on with life but, as the days pass, the mist’s darkness descends ever faster, leaving her increasingly lonely.
The novel’s universal, book-for-all-ages power has echoes of The Little Prince. Indeed, de Saint-Exupéry’s classic is referenced here by the inspiring one-of-a kind Estella, a school caretaker Mafalda befriends, who advises her to find her rose, “the thing that’s essential to you”, just like the Little Prince. Mafalda measures her vision in paces from a very special cherry tree. And, movingly, the book’s five parts are headed with titles that point to the deterioration of her sight, starting with Part One Seventy Metres, the distance from which she can see the cherry tree as the novel begins.
Estella delivers further vital advice later in the novel: “To live in fear is not to live at all”, and it’s Estella who helps make a truly magical, heart-rending ending. Readers of all ages will be drawn deep into Mafalda’s poignantly pitch-perfect narrative. Younger readers will identity with, for example, how she knows when her parents are discussing something important but can’t quite grasp the meaning, while adult readers will fill in the blanks Mafalda is left puzzling over. Inspired by the author's own experience of Stargardt Disease, this is a dazzlingly tender and timeless tale of love and courage. - Joanne Owen
| Primary Genre | Young Adult Fiction |
| Recommendations: |
A story all about Mafalda whose sight is failing. She must discover all the things that are most important to her. A book that will make you think about what you love most!
Mafalda is a nine-year-old girl who loves school, football and her cat. Also, her sight is failing. With the help of her family and friends, she must discover all the things that will be important to her when her sight has gone.
This is the story of Mafalda's journey to discover how to cope with an illness. She is gradually losing her sight and throughout the book the distance from which she can see her favourite cherry tree reduces as her sight gets worse. It is an inspiring and thoughtful book as she finds out what she really loves.... Read Full Review
This is a heart warming book that made me really think about how some people have difficult problems in their lives but they don’t let it stop them from believing in what they can do.
I really loved this book, it is one of the best books that I have ever read.
It was a bit sad and a bit happy. It made me think really hard about what it would be like to go blind, something I have never thought about before.
The main character is called Mafalda who has something called Stargardt Mist, which means that her sight is misty and getting worse all of the time. At her school there is a cherry tree and everyday she sees how many steps there are between where she can start to see the cherry tree and the actual tree. This gets worse every day and the book is about her thoughts and feelings about how life is changing.
I was really excited to get this book , it was so good that I read the... Read Full Review
A touching tale about a little girl who has to face big changes. A story which teaches us all about what is most important in life and about the value of friendship and love in tough times.
This is a heartwarming story about Mafalda, an Italian girl who is slowly going blind due to an eye condition. Mafalda has a favourite cherry tree in her school grounds, which makes her think of her late grandmother.
The book is divided into sections, which indicate how Mafalda’s sight is deteriorating – each one notes from how many paces away Mafalda can see the cherry tree as she walks to school. The chapters explain how she deals with the changes in her life, based on her new visual perspective.
I really appreciated how the author was able to capture the feelings of a nine year old child so well and it reminded me of being that age myself, not so very long ago.... Read Full Review
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