Janni Howker Quotes

“A plank led from the towpath to the deck, but Helen was not sure what to do. She could see the little cabin door with roses painted on it, but she was not sure she should go aboard. Crouching, she tried to see in through the windows, but the curtains were drawn.”

‘Badger on the Barge’ – this story had depth and originality. Helen was a practical child whose narrative voice interestingly explored grief in a close-knit family.

‘The Egg-Man’ – a harrowing, heart-wrenching story. Everything about ‘The Egg-Man’ was spot-on.

Bridget was a brat with common sense while Jane was a soft-hearted child prone to overthinking things but they were both like able and I found their behaviour throughout to be relatable and authentic.

Several of the children befriend an elderly person who, despite the contrariness seemingly endemic to old age, is able to offer up many of the things the children are missing in their lives.

“Martin wiped the sweat off his face with his arm and slouched against the warm stones of the bridge. Sean perched next to him, legs dangling over the trickle of the parched stream. Boredom came back like a headache. It was too hot.”

A collection of five short stories set in the small towns of northern England, exploring complex relationships and rare understandings among the young and old.

“October smelled of bonfires, even in Alfred Street. Down by the canal the yellow leaves of the big conker trees flickered and rustled like burning newspapers. In the still canal water black leaves floated on Helen’s reflection.”

It’s a small collection of short stories, and they all center on children struggling amid the widespread social problems of our time, including poverty or absence of parents or other issues.

I found her Dad’s reaction especially fascinating. It was also nice that Miss Brady’s role in the story was staggered – it allowed Helen’s family time to evolve with each new revelation and made the plot progression feel more organic.