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. Lots of people would like this book as it is about overcoming things that are difficult and we all have things that are hard for us.
The person who wrote the book actually suffers from the disease that Mafalda has so it is a little bit the story of her life too.
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 whole thing in 3 days. I have never read a book before that was based on a real person’s life, and I wanted to know everything that was happening to her and how she felt. There were good times and not so good times for Mafalda, times that made me laugh, and times that made me feel sorry for her.
I would say that this is a book that all children aged 9+ should read to help them understand the types of problems that other people can go through, and how they can overcome hard problems in their way.
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. The book reminds us that both adults and children have fears and that we should be grateful for what we have. It helped me to appreciate that we shouldn’t take it for granted that we will always be able to do what we want to in the future.
As I read the lists in Mafalda’s personal organiser, I was touched that she wrote down the things that she could currently do, like play football with the boys, that she soon wouldn’t be able to do. As children we often think that as we get older the possibilities for us are endless and that we will be able to do more and more of what we wish, Mafalda’s tale is a gentle reminder that these things are not necessarily a given.
“All children are scared of the dark…” This story is about friendship, love and accepting your destiny, even when it’s not what you wanted. We could see this book made into a film!
This book is about a girl called Mafalda and her friends Estella and Filippo. Mafalda is no ordinary girl; she is turning blind. She suffers from Stargardt Disease, which is a disease that slowly makes you lose your vision.
Filippo is Mafalda’s boyfriend – even if she doesn’t want to admit it. He has his own problems but he tries to help his friend as much as possible. Estella, Mafalda’s trusted friend, always tells Mafalda to find her “essential things” before she turns blind.
Mafalda’s life isn’t going well and she is becoming blind very quickly. She can see how quickly this is happening by measuring the distance between when she can see the cherry tree and actually reaching it. So, one day she decides she is actually going to live in the cherry tree with her grandma and Cosimo (a fictional character from one of her favourite books). In order to do this, she must find “the essentials” for moving even if she has to steal them from her friends and classmates.
Does Mafalda go blind?
Does she find her “essential things?”
Does Mafalda move to the cherry tree?
Read the book to find out!
We recommend this book to 8+. This story is about friendship, love and accepting your destiny, even when it’s not what you wanted. It’s based on a true story – the author of the book has Stargardt Disease.
We could see this book made into a film!
We give it 5*****.
Perfect for fans of ‘Wonder’, this is a powerful, bittersweet story of a girl’s journey into darkness as she loses her sight.
Mafalda is an ordinary nine-year old girl who loves playing football, and her cat, Ottimo Turcaret. Mafalda has Stargardt mist, which is a condition that affects one in ten thousand people. Mafalda’s mum says that ‘those people were chosen by God’ but Mafalda disagrees. She makes a list of all the things she will miss seeing when she loses her sight. Along the path to complete darkness, Mafalda makes a kind friend and loses a person who is important to her.
This is a great book which I read avidly - and I hope anyone else who reads it enjoys it as much as I did!
This is a beautiful and heart-breaking story. I would recommend for both teens and adults.
A devastatingly beautiful story that introduces us to Mafalda who is suffering from a rare degenerative condition that will lead to the complete loss of her sight. What makes this book even more poignant is that it is inspired by the author’s own life and experience of the condition.
You turn the page with bated breath, each chapter counting down to the inevitable and you wish that you could somehow slow down the deterioration of Mafalda’s vision so that she can still see her beloved Cherry Tree.
Mafalda’s relationship with the caretaker Estella is heart-warming – managing to deliver both laughter and tears throughout the plot. The beautiful relationship between the woman and the little girl as they both fight their own hidden battles and try to remain strong despite their fear made me wonder who Estella was based on. The hunt for “essential things” made me reflect on what I take for granted and what is vital for my own happiness.
I fell in love with this story almost instantly and think it is a perfect read for children and adults.
Interesting Book with lovely imagination.
The distance between me and the cherry tree is an interesting book with a breathtaking story. I enjoyed reading this book as the author has a really good imagination. My favourite character is Mafalda who is very hard working. I liked how Mafalda struggles and copes up with difficulties because of her lovely imagination. I loved reading it and would recommend this book to everyone.
https://prishayadav.blogspot.com/2018/06/the-distance-between-me-and-cherry-tree.html
Beautiful book. Really made me think about what is important in life.
This is unlike any book I have ever read before. It is told from the viewpoint of a girl who is slowly losing her sight. It tells of all the things she will miss, and judges how important these things really are. It is beautifully written and very thought provoking. I would definitely recommend this book.
The title and its significance will stay in my mind for a long while.
A wonderfully poignant and memorable book. The character of Mafalda was one of bravery and acceptance and the significance of the author having her eyes failing made it even more dramatic. Her unexpected friendships along the way were beautifully portrayed yet sad, it was on the whole a very moving book.
A heartwarming story about 9 year old Mafalda who will lose her sight in the next few months and how she copes knowing that she will be in darkness.
An emotional book which was a great read.
Mafalda has a great imagination which helps her deal with her Stargardt Mist. She prepares herself by writing down in her Personal Organiser lists of things she won’t be able to do anymore when her sight goes.
She soon realises all the important things like friendships will always continue even when she is in the dark.
Part 1 of the book starts with ‘Seventy Metres’, this is the distance Mafalda can see from herself to the Cherry Tree outside her school. Each part of the book let’s you know what she can now see.
It made me think about how I would feel if my sight went and how that would make me feel. I looked out of my own window to try and imagine Mafalda’s world. I would give the book 9/10.
The story is very heart-warming,especially as my Nan has the same rare condition, it's made me more aware of how hard it's been for her.
Losing your sight must be terrifying it is one of the main key senses. Sadly, my Nan has the same condition as Mafalda so know how she feels. You go on an emotional roller coaster with the perspective of her. The story is very heart-warming and especially coming from the author who has been through it as well. Mafalda has to discover everything she loves and is important to her before she is in blackness. Moving house, failing sight, losing friends.