Sade and Her Shadow Beasts

Sade and Her Shadow Beasts

By Author / Illustrator

Rachel Faturoti

Genre

Bereavement

Age range(s)

9+

Publisher

Hachette Children's Group

ISBN

9781444963571

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

07-07-2022

Synopsis

Twelve-year-old Sade has been escaping to an imaginary world ever since her mum passed away - with its candy-floss lilac sky, she goes on endless adventures atop her purple-winged bird, Nix. But soon she discovers that frightening shadow beasts live here too and they are seeping into the real world. Luckily, when her sister signs her up to an anonymous grief counselling group, Sade finds her anxiety gets better.
But then she's asked to perform spoken word in the talent show. The beasts won't let her get on stage: Tiger appears with her long sharp claws, Lion with his piercing blue eyes, and Fox stands on his giant hind legs.

Will Sade find the courage to say what she needs to - can she banish the shadow beasts for good? A story about a girl dealing with the death of a parent - with the help of a school support group and a colourful world only she can see.

Reviews

Louisa

Sade has been rocked by the death of her mother and she's convinced that she is to blame. She has problems at school and 'Old Dad' - who used to listen, laugh and cook - has been replaced by 'New Dad', who is withdrawn and angry. And soon her Granny, who's been helping hold the family together, is going to have to return to Nigeria. In the past, Sade has always enjoyed escaping into an imaginary world where she can forget her problems but recently that world has begun to change, too. The friendly animals that used to inhabit it have become truculent and threatening. Worse still, the shadow beasts begin breaking through into the real world and wreaking havoc. As anxiety threatens to overwhelm Sade entirely, her sister signs her up to an anonymous grief counselling class. Despite her initial reluctance, Sade finds it helps. Even so, she still needs the courage to face the worst of her fears and to find her true voice. Can she find it in time before everything unravels?


Sade and her Shadow Beasts is a great find for children aged 10 years plus, addressing bereavement directly but with tact. The support group scenes confront and normalise the unpredictability of grief. They make clear the importance of finding ways to sift and channel deep emotions and to let go of the most unhelpful ones, like guilt. I also liked the way that the portrayal of Sade and her family is positive and nuanced, avoiding traditional stereotypes and acknowledging the cultural complexity of families who have been split across continents. It's a shame that the inclusive approach was not extended to maths teachers (some typically negative representation was disappointing); I also found the writing style slightly clunky. Nevertheless, it would definitely earn its place in the school library. For some children, this will be an important book that revolves around a strong heroine who they can recognise and relate to.


320 Pages / Reviewed by Louisa Farrow, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 9+

 

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