A Small Collection of Happinesses (Zana Fraillon, illus Stephen Michael King, Lothian)

In the first pages of acclaimed author Zana Fraillon’s A Small Collection of Happinesses, Ada is ‘blown in…and dumped… right at the front gates of number 9 Hawkhurst Lane’. I was reminded of the equally sudden arrival of Mary Poppins, but nothing about this vibrant middle-grade book is derivative. Ageing and curmudgeonly, Ada has come to solve a mystery linked to a closely guarded letter. Hettie is a lonely, imaginative girl grieving the death of her much-loved father. Her mother works long hours, leaving Hettie alone, restricted to a run-down block of flats adjacent to a wild wood. Both Hettie and Ada are yearning for a past they cannot recreate. They struggle to accept each other at first, finding the age difference a barrier. When they join forces to search for a black panther, a ‘creature, waiting in the shadows’, Ada and Hettie begin to work together to solve the mystery and, in so doing, build a strong relationship based on trust and respect. Black-and-white illustrations from Stephen Michael King (Your Head’s Not the Place To Store Problems) are peppered throughout the book and are a charming addition. Fraillon (The Gargoyle, The Way of Dog) has crafted a beautiful story of friendship and love across generations for middle-grade readers who enjoy Karen Foxlee and Kate DiCamillo’s books.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Katy Briggs is a marketer with a degree in English and history. She is an avid reader across myriad genres. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

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