Due to personal reasons, I decided to bid for No More Knives in the Children in Read auction for Children In Need.
In my parcel I discovered that the author Christina Gabbitas had kindly added a beautifully illustrated book: Share Some Secrets (illustrated by Ric Lumb) complete with audio written and narrated by the author, plus a poem about the importance of our environment ‘save us from plastic.’ Both of these books and poem are about subjects which matter greatly.
So why did I bid for No More Knives?
If you’ve ever had the misfortune to come into contact with gangs, (as my daughter and her boyfriend did,) you will realise how frightening and dangerous it can be. Luckily, they both survived to tell the tale and thankfully, no knives were involved, but I doubt the experience will ever be forgotten.
So, that is why this is so important to me.
Education is key to ensuring that youngsters understand the very real dangers of drugs and how bad friendship choices can lead to crime.
Blurb – No More Knives
Friends, Siobhan, Ellie, Luke, Jamie and Mo, meet in the local park as usual to hang out. There is a new guy in town, Steve, wo offers them money to deliver packages to different areas.
The promises of close freindships and what they thought was easy money, don’t quite work out.
A story of choices and consequences.
Christina was approached to work with the Police & Crime Commissioners Office to help educate and work with children aged 10-16 on the topic of Knife Crime. Christina will be producing and online digital magazine that will be used as a resource for children, teachers and parents. The delivery of the project will be January 2020.
My review of No More Knives – Christina Gabbitas, illustrated by Evie Hurst.
This is a beautifully illustrated book on such an important subject. I love the cover art showing all the children linking arms and smiling.
The youngsters portrayed in the story are from different cultural, family and socio-economic backgrounds. From the first page, we learn that Jamie, Luke, Siobhan, Ellie and Mo rang in age from pre-teens to teenagers – ten to sixteen years old.
When the youngsters meet Steve, who’s involved in a drug gang, they are encouraged to think they can make ‘easy’ money.
The children soon realise that nothing is easy, friendly or safe about this at all.
I’d recommend this book to help educate young people about the dangers of crime, drug taking, and the very real threat of knives and violence, which sadly are becoming all too prevalent in our society.
The simple but effective illustrations in a comic graphic strip style will appeal to young people. These convey with ease how young people can end up in dangerous situations.
A fantastic book and a lovely project for Christina Gabbitas to be part of.
My recommendation: Highly recommended, particularly as an educational tool to use in schools.
https://www.waterstones.com/book/no-more-knives/christina-gabbitas/evie-hurst/9781916254299
https://www.christinagabbitas.com/no-more-knives/
Author Bio:
Christina Gabbitas is an award winning children’s author, poet and voice artist. A successful author and businesswoman, and unrecognisable from her younger self. At school she was a pupil who preferred to sit at the back of the classroom and blend in with the furniture, scared of people and anything that moved. She was a quiet, shy character who nearly lost her first job, as she found it difficult to converse with people. Over a period of time she had to teach herself not to be so self-conscious and gradually she flourished with an abundance of energy, ideas and passion to achieve. Christina not only writes but stages storytellling sessions, engaging with primary age children, encouraging imagination through writing. Christina equally enjoys inspiring older children to believe in themselves, as she talks eloquently about her journey from wallflower to author, poet, voice artist and director.
Christina has made her dreams become a reality and feels privileged to be able to pass on her experience to others.
Social media links:
https://www.christinagabbitas.com
https://www.facebook.com/ChristinaGabbitasAuthor
https://www.instagram.com/christinagabbitas
https://www.poemsandpicturespublishing.org/
Please feel free to comment below. I’d love to hear from you.
What an amazing book for kids! A subject of great importance currently. I worked with youth at risk for a number of years and know how easily young people can be sucked into a life of crime. Thanks for sharing the review.
Happy to do so. I agree Darlene. A very important topic especially in the larger cities where knife crime is becoming such a problem. I will pass on to my daughter who is training to be an English teacher she will be interested to see it too.
What a frightening experience for your daughter, Marje! I’m so glad she and her boyfriend got away with only a scare. I can understand your choice of book, and it sounds like it has a great message – one I haven’t seen in books for kids. Thanks for your review!
It was very frightening Diana, a hooded gang, stole all his things even some of his clothes. I didn’t go in great detail here but it was bad. He ended up in hospital, kicked him repeatedly in the kidney area. Didn’t hurt my daughter but it has impacted both of them. Glad to review and share this in the hope that it might help reduce instances of such violent crimes from happening. Education is key.
That sounds horrible, Marje. I imagine that both of them will be extra careful from now on. As a parent, I would have been a wreck. <3 <3
Sorry of what happened to your daughter and her boyfriend, Marje. It was so frightening. My friend in London, her husband was mugged and blinded. Yes, society must do something to help these gangsters.
Christina has quite an interesting experience. Thank you for the book review.
My pleasure Miriam. So sorry to hear about your friend’s husband. So dreadful. What is the world coming to? Yes books like these are important to educate youngsters but more must be done too.
I like books for youngsters have a subtle positive message. Take care, Marje.