Burnout

by Robert Swindells

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Genres: Novella

Paperback

First published April 1, 2007

About the author

Robert Swindells was born in Bradford in 1939, the eldest of five children. He left the local Secondary Modern School at fifteen to work as a copy holder on the local newspaper. At seventeen he enlisted in the RAF and served for three years, two in Germany. On being discharged he worked as a clerk, engineer and printer until 1969 when he entered college to train as a teacher having obtained five 'O' levels at night-school. His first book 'When Darkness Comes' was written as a college thesis and published by Hodder and Stoughton in 1972. In 1980 he gave up teaching to write full time. He likes travelling and visits many schools each year, talking and reading stories to children. He is the secutatry of his local Peace Movement group. Brother in the Land is his first book for Oxford University Press. He is married with two grown-up daughters and lives in Bradford.

Author description taken from Brother in the Land.

Reviews

[Annika Samuelsson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Josh Linfoot känner sig som en nolla, han är inte bra på något som räknas hemma i motsats till sin lillasyster som är duktig i skolan och tar ansvar. Det är alltid Beth hit, Beth dit, Beth har gjort, Beth är så duktig. Han är så innerligt tröt på att vara nollan in familjen, han vill också ha bekräftelse och han vill höra till någonstans. Han vill ha beröm för det han kan...eldar. Det är berusande att se en eld man själv har startat.
Det är därför han hänger på Mich Mitchells gäng. Ingen bråkar med killarna i Mich Mitchells gäng. Och han får äntligen användning av det han är bra på.

Detta är en bok där man kan prata om "varför". En person handlar sällan i ett tomrum utan dess handlingar beror på något. Man kan också prata om samhällets straff och verkligt straff, kanske är det alltid som det synliga straffet är det som känns, som får någon att fundera över sin bana i livet.

[Marite Juul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Josh føler seg som en taper i forhold til lillesøsteren Beth. Hun gjør det bra på skolen, og er i sentrum for foreldrenes oppmerksomhet. Josh' selvtillit er lav, og han er et enkelt offer for gjengen av eldre gutter som han så gjerne vil tilhøre. De starter branner, noen ganger bare for "moro skyld" og andre ganger som avledning for tyverier. Josh blir fullstendig fascinert av hva man få til med en liten lighter, og når søsteren ikke slutter å plapre om dyrene hun har fått ansvar for i skolens lille zoo, bestemmer han seg for å sette fyr på skolen... Denne boka er utgitt av Barrington Stoke, som spesialiserer seg på å utgi bøker for dyslektikere. Boka har store typer, mange avsnitt og er bare 53 sider lang. Historien er enkel å følge. Jeg skulle ønske forfatteren hadde holdt seg til ett motiv for Josh sine branner, ønsket om å tilhøre en gjeng, eller ønsket om å gjøre søsteren vondt. Å ha med begge disse motivene i en såvidt kort bok, blir litt mye. Et annet aspekt er Josh sin villighet til å ofre dyrene i skolens zoo, samvittighetkvalene forfatteren har utstyrt ham med, gjør dette lite sannsynlig, etter min mening. Likevel, en høyst lesverdig bok som vil egne seg for felleslesning i små grupper.

[Modigliana Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good rating for a book deals with themes appropriate for teenagers, in language suitable for low level readers

[Saskia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Average story - engaging for reluctant readers or for those whose experience difficulty with literacy.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was pretty good even though it is very short. Josh feels like a bit of a loser and compared unfairly in his eyes to his super clever sister Beth. He starts to hang around with his friend Danny and his older brother's gang who are not the best influence as they are into arson, stealing and just generally causing trouble wherever they can. When they make Josh light a car on fire for his initiation into the crew he starts to feel like finally there is something he does well even though he knows it is wrong. Josh eventually goes too far and does something which will affect him and his family for the rest of his life.
I did enjoy the story and the moral behind it was very clear although I thought the characters could have been more interesting to read about. I thought Josh was just a whiney kid who feels sorry for himself and I didn't take to him at all. It is an exciting book for a reluctant reader as it is quite fast paced and would hold their interest.