Kirjahaku

An anthology of illustrated short stories and poems on the theme of honest hope that does not deny the hard things. Here are pathways through suffering. There is no point in pretending that all is sweetness and light but neither should we ignore the possibility of light at the end of the tunnel.There is a lot about young people here. Our years as children and teenagers are crucial; these pages urge us all to listen to them and put them at the centre of our society.The Bible claims that the light of God seen in Jesus Christ shines in the darkness and the darkness has neither understood it nor put it out. These stories and poems are designed to direct us towards that light and the love and joy that goes with it from wherever we may find ourselves.There are sections headed: Winning Through, Rainbows, Lockdown, Teenage Life, Families, A Wider World, Christmas and God and Creation.

An anthology of illustrated short stories and poems on the theme of honest hope that does not deny the hard things. Here are pathways through suffering. There is no point in pretending that all is sweetness and light but neither should we ignore the possibility of light at the end of the tunnel.There is a lot about young people here. Our years as children and teenagers are crucial; these pages urge us all to listen to them and put them at the centre of our society.The Bible claims that the light of God seen in Jesus Christ shines in the darkness and the darkness has neither understood it nor put it out. These stories and poems are designed to direct us towards that light and the love and joy that goes with it from wherever we may find ourselves.There are sections headed: Winning Through, Rainbows, Lockdown, Teenage Life, Families, A Wider World, Christmas and God and Creation.

Set in a large West Yorkshire council estate, we begin with Tabitha, aged 13, trying to decide where she fits into her world. She is the single child with a single mother. While that is not unusual the fact that her father is black marks her out as different in an otherwise predominantly all-white environment. Tabitha is also different because she has a fascination with the natural world, even delighting in the weeds that grow in the cracks of the paving stones. This passion led her at the age of eight to explore a private walled garden on the perimeter of a wood. As she grows this place becomes her secret garden but she never meets the gardener.At school life is not easy for for our heroine. She doesn't rate her abilities and she is often bullied - especially by her nemesis, Gareth. But despite this, she discovers teachers who believe in her and life begins to improve, especially as she finds in new friends - refugees from South Sudan and black. Things are on the up until disaster strikes. What is Tabitha going to do? What does the future hold? And where does she belong? Is there anywhere?What of Gareth? He is a boy who has little thought of the future, bent on taking form life all he can get and controlling those around him, including Tabitha. In her, he encounters a resistance he has nowhere before experienced and he becomes obsessed. How will that affect her and him. Could that alter his destiny?