Across the divide

by Anne Booth

Olivia lives with her mum and grandparents. She has a relatively normal modern family. The opening of a new Army cadets unit causes turmoil both at home and at school.

She wants to join, a decision her ex-army grandfather supports, but her pacifist mother is ardently opposed.

Her best friend Aiden also disagrees with her decision causing tension in their friendship.

When her mum is imprisoned for leading a pacifist protest, Olivia is forced to spend time with her dad who lives on Lindisfarne.

The island feels far away and detached from the mainland, almost magical. And even William, a young boy she meets there seems different..

Paperback

First published June 1, 2018

About the author

Anne Booth always wanted to be a children’s writer, but has also cleared tables in a restaurant, sold books, been a tour guide at a haunted medieval hospital, taught English in Italy, and organized arts and crafts in a nursing home, among other things. Anne Booth lives in Kent, England, with her husband, four children, two hens, and two dogs.

Reviews

[BooksForTopics · Rating 5 out of 5]

Across the Divide is a contemplative story about war and pacifism, about making a stand and about seeing different viewpoints. When writing to introduce the book, author Anne Booth said:
“I know from school visits for my earlier book Girl with a White Dog that children are genuinely interested in history and politics, and that they understand they are directly affected by decisions made by adults…..I want all children to know that they CAN already make the world a better place, and that there are other people, now and in history and in fiction, who stand alongside them in this.”
Anne's new story Across the Divide is, in part, about what happens when people with different experiences and viewpoints find a way to listen to each other’s voices and find ways to progress based on respectfully accepting difference and finding where commonality lies.

The main character, Olivia, finds herself in the centre of bitter arguments and feels caught between sides. Her mum is a peace activist and her grandfather is a vicar who used to serve in the army. When the opening of an army cadet unit is proposed at Olivia's school, everyone seems to have strong opinions and tension quickly mounts. Olivia’s friend Aidan is from a Quaker family who are firm believers in pacifism. Many other friends are from families with strong military traditions and are keen to honour relatives who are serving or who have served in the armed forces. Olivia feels like she is able to see different sides of the argument and can sympathise with those making a stand for either cause. Before she knows it, things have spiralled out of control and Olivia’s Mum is arrested for leading a pacifist protest against the army base.

With her grandparents away on holiday and her mum in custody, Olivia has no choice but to go and stay with her estranged father on the island of Lindisfarne. There is an almost ethereal quality to the beautiful landscape on Lindisfarne and its timeless remoteness gives Olivia plenty of space to think about the different viewpoints dividing her community. Olivia meets William, an old-fashioned and mysterious-seeming boy who lives on the island. William can relate to the way Olivia is wrestling with different ideas about war and pacifism and in talking together the pair help each other to find their own voices and look for a way forward.

The narrative raises to the surface some really interesting considerations about how war is viewed by society and who influences those views. The events on Lindisfarne also bring in a historical aspect by linking Olivia’s story to the experiences of young people in the lead-up to the First World War.

In Across the Divide Anne Booth has masterfully crafted a narrative that is deeply contemplative with important values at its heart, and one that allows different viewpoints to be heard without directing what the reader should conclude. Olivia arrives at her own verdict and seeks a solution that helps her community to work through its divisions and make progress peacefully without compromising the integrity of those who wish to make a stand for what they believe. Through Olivia’s story and her interactions with friends and family, the narrative gently suggests that young people can be powerful in their capabilities to stand up for their beliefs and to be instrumental in bringing about positive change in society.
Many thanks to the publisher for kindly sending me a review copy of this book.

[Scott Evans | The Reader Teacher · Rating 5 out of 5]

'A book that broaches, binds, blends and bridges big issues… This is more than historical fiction; this is a story movingly written in a one-of-a-kind way that ensures it will stay with you long after the last page is read.'

After Olivia’s mother is imprisoned for leading a pacifist protest, she is sent to stay with her estranged father on one of author, Anne Booth’s, favourite places of the remote island setting of Lindisfarne. At first, she believes the island has nothing for her and wants to get as far away as possible from it because it’s about as far removed from the life that she’s used to as it could possibly be. However the island has a lot more to reveal of itself than Olivia could possibly first imagine…

Rowing, arguing and differences of opinion or ‘unhealthy’ debate make this a difficult time for Olivia, seeming to have put her home life in to disarray, so much so that we discover that she prefers living at her grandparents. Her grandfather, an ex-army man himself, is the polar opposite to his daughter, Caz – Olivia’s mum. Favouring the military, army life and the opening a new Army cadets programme at school, he encourages Olivia to take a similar path to him and helps her by signing the permission sheet, knowing full well that her mother will not, to enrol her in the cadet programme and even talking about it at her school. But what will her friends think of this and her…?

Divide. It is here where the title, ‘Across the Divide’ is rather apt for this book because small divides start to appear within Olivia’s friendship group, bigger ones within her family and the community; and when she meets William – a mysterious boy who lives in the castle – this in itself presents a larger divide between characters and eras that this book soon starts to span.

As the story progresses, Olivia learns for herself about the old adage of ‘actions speaking louder than words’ through a clever look back at the past as it meets with Olivia’s life in the present, and helps her to come to terms with making her own mind up and choosing the right thing to do for herself. But what does she choose to do…?

There’s elements of politics, contemporary issues and world events that Anne draws on in this story and they’re all handled in an age-appropriate style aimed at this audience with her hallmark of immense sensitivity, considerateness and compassion that echoes within the words of her previous books.

With links to the army, soldiers like Billy Congreve and conscientious objectors, this is particularly pertinent in the year when we commemorate the centenary of the ending of the First World War. I’d never visited Lindisfarne and had only vaguely heard about its historical background but now, thanks to reading Across in Divide, I feel like I have (albeit only for a short time) and that I’ve lived through a part of its history.

Highly topical, this is a book that broaches, binds, blends and bridges big issues including pacifism and peace and war and conflict. This book will do more than make you think because it will make you think differently about the world. This is more than just historical fiction; this is a story movingly written in a one-of-a-kind way that ensures it will stay with you long after the last page is read.

[Helen Mulligan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Across the Divide is a story that explores what it means to live truly, to confront fear and difference and to learn how to stand as yourself but alongside others. It tells the story of a community divided in opinion. Fourteen year old Olivia finds herself in the middle of a row; a row that plays out at home and at school and involves her family and friends. While she can see all sides of the argument, she doesn’t want to be seen to be taking any. She just wants to keep a low profile.

After her mum gets arrested for leading a pacifist protest, Olivia gets shipped off to stay with her dad, an historian, on Lindisfarne Island,  an island physically divided from the mainland each time the tide comes in. There she meets William, who reminds her of her friend Aidan - a friend she worries she has recently let down, while at the same time being not quite like anyone she has met before.

During her stay on Lindisfarne, Olivia spends time reflecting on the divisions that have started to tear her world apart. In conversation with her Dad, William, the place of Lindisfarne past and present and herself, Olivia begins to understand how the things that divide us can overshadow the things that hold us together. She also learns that keeping a low profile and not saying things can be a form of saying something and can play a role in the division.

Across the Divide is a clever title. Divisions in the book are rife - physical and emotional divisions: divisions between people, places and time. Division, it seems, is part of human nature and, at one point, the narrative examines how some people or groups of people have a vested interest in stirring up those divisions in society. But at the same time, connections arise too - across time and place - and the journey Olivia takes leads her to the realisation that while differences will always exist, how we respond to those is what counts and that each of us has a moral responsibility to examine that in ourselves, not just go along with whatever crowd we are in. Do we shy away from surfacing complexity and finding compromise so that we can have an easy life? Do we take a polarised stand on one side or the other? Or do we learn to recognise and respect difference and seek compromise and common causes, overcoming the challenges that inevitably arise in that process?

The plot is well-constructed and there are rich themes to explore. At times, I personally found the style of narrative, particularly the dialogue, to be a bit clunky and patronising, making things too explicit. I would have liked more to have been trusted to me as a reader. But overall, this was a book I really enjoyed. It would be best suited to UKS2 as it doesn’t shy away from facing some complicated concepts, but does this in an accessible and sensitive way and would be an excellent basis for discussions, including around the themes of courage, cowardice, fear, morality and standing up for what you believe in without needing to make opposition of others.

Overall, a thought-provoking and moving read.

[Virginia Moffatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

14 year old Olivia is fed up. Living with her Mum in a military town is hard work. At home, they’re arguing about whether she can join army cadets, a row exacerbated by the fact her army Chaplain Grandad thinks it’s a great idea. At school, everyone is keen except her best friend Aidan whose Quaker beliefs make him stand out from the crowd. To make matters worse Mum has got herself arrested at the beginning of half term, and Olivia has to stay in Lindisfarne with the Dad she hardly ever sees…

At first Olivia’s anger make her resistant to her Dad’s hesitant attempts to rebuild their relationship. But soon the beauty of the island, the space away from her situation and an encounter with a boy called William, help her begin to make sense of her recent experiences. For William is also struggling with his conscience, asking whether it is right to fight in war, when everyone around him believes it is. Their conversations lead her to reflect on the arguments she has tried to avoid at school and the realisation that not saying anything in a row can be as bad as taking sides.

‘Across the Divide’ is Anne Booth’s third middle grade novel. Like its predecessors, ‘Girl With A White Dog’ and ‘Dog Ears’, it is a subtle and delicate exploration of some complex ideas. Should you fight wars or resist them? Are white poppies disrespectful or another way to remember? And do army cadets have a place in school? Booth gives voice to arguments on all sides, without preaching or dictating what Olivia or the reader should think. In doing so, she allows Olivia to come to her own conclusions and to find a compromise that unites rather than divides the community.

Told with Booth’s usual warmth and wit, ‘Across the Divide’ is a moving and intelligent novel that asks us to consider the damage we do when we allow our disagreements to colour our views of each other, and the importance of remembering Jo Cox’s words that we have ‘more in common than divides us’. In a world dominated by polarised opinions, this is a timely and helpful message, made all the more powerful by the cast of believable flawed human beings, and a moving ending guaranteed to bring tears to your eyes. Highly, highly recommended.

[Carmen Haselup · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘When her mum is imprisoned for leading a pacifist protest against the local army base, Olivia must go and stay with her dad on the remote island of Lindisfarne. To make things worse, her friend Riya isn’t speaking to her and Aidan… well, Olivia really needs to sort things out with him. And who is William, the mysterious boy she has met on the island? A novel about family and friendship, but most of all about finding the courage to fight for what you believe in.’

Anne Booth has great warmth and heart in her writing and it shines through this book, making it a gentle hand-hold through the confusion of war and pacifism. Olivia’s current day story is beautifully linked with young people’s experiences of enlisting versus conscientious objection in the First World War. Perfect for topic work around war and pacifism and understanding diversity, Across the Divide belongs in every school library.

At it’s heart this is a book about accepting that people have different ideas and opinions and the strength that comes from listening and respecting each other and finding common ground. It is a touching story about listening to your heart, learning to hear both sides of an argument, and creating your own sense of right and wrong. All tough concepts that children have to face and learn for themselves. Anne’s middle grade books all contain complex ideas and strong political undertones and I love the way she presents these themes without preaching to the reader or telling them what to think. She doesn’t push her own ideologies but presents differing arguments and shows characters learning to sort through these ideas and question the world for themselves. The children who will be reading these books are growing up in a politically charged and changeable world and these books will help to arm them with the ideas and strategies to find their own paths through. Bravo, Anne.

Source – kindly sent for review by the publisher.

[Debbie Gascoyne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This came with a warm recommendation from Hilary McKay on Twitter. Because I adore Hilary McKay, I thought I'd try this book. It didn't really live up to her recommendation, although it was a nice, light read. Maybe I haven't read enough middle-grade novels (although I've read and adored all of McKay's), but to be honest I found this one curiously dated. The central conflict, about whether or not a school should have a cadet squad - this is obviously an "army" town, where many of the children's family members have been in the forces, and one child's older brother was killed in some conflict - seemed to elevate an issue to an importance that I couldn't quite believe in. The narrator's mother is a peace-demonstrator; one of her friends at school, a boy - the implication is that there may arise a romantic involvement later - is a Quaker. All this seemed to me to be something from the 60s or 70s, so that a reference to texting felt anachronistic. One thing I did like was that Olivia, the narrator, mentioned several times that she needed space to make up her own mind and not just to be told what to think. The time-slip element was quite interesting, but again felt rather safe and a lot of fuss about nothing. And it's written in the present tense, which is a current fad I find more annoying every time I encounter it. All this sounds a lot more grumpy than I really felt about this - it was a nice book, maybe something that a lower-middle-grade reader would enjoy.

[Christina Reid · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story follows Olivia, a young girl caught between her mother's pacifist ideals and her grandfather's military pride, between those who say that war is wrong and those who say that pacifism disrespects those who are doing the fighting. This is a story very much about extremes of opinions and how hard it can be to reconcile those views. It looks at how easily arguments, words and actions can be twisted and how doing or saying nothing can be just as damaging as doing something - staying on the fence can cause as much hurt as choosing a side.
After Olivia's mum is imprisoned for damaging military property during a protest, Olivia ends up in the magical island of Lindisfarne with her father, a historical researcher. When out walking with his dog, she meets a teenage boy who seems to be struggling with reconciling various views of war and peace, just like she is.
This is a thoughtful novel with some important messages. I really liked how it included contemporary issues as well as historical ones e.g. the white poppies being sold to represent pacifism and the issues surrounding them, as well as the white feathers being presented to young men during the first World War. At times, the message of tolerance is a little heavy-handed as Olivia realises just what she needs to do to bridge the divide between both sides, but it is an important message and one I would hope to pass on to children reading this book.

[Amy (Golden Books Girl) · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this timeslip middle grade, we follow Olivia as she is sent to stay with her estranged father on Lindisfarne after her mum gets arrested at a peace rally, and she is attempting to work through her thought on her mum and recent arguments among both her family and friend group focused on her wanting to join the new cadets group at school. I`ve never seen the theme of pacifism explored before that I can remember, and if I have, it certainly wasn`t as fascinating, well balanced and thought provoking as the way in which it is tackled here. I also liked that the timeslip plotline included discussion of conscientious objectors, which is in my opinion a heartbreaking historical event that isn`t remembered anywhere near enough. I liked Olivia lots as a protagonist; she manages to deal with all of the situations she faces in a very mature way, and I also really liked William, who is the boy she meets from the past. Finally, the setting brought me so much joy. Northumberland is pretty much my favourite place in the entire world, and seeing places I know and love referenced was lovely! 4.5/5

[Isobel Gilbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Borrowed from the Year 6 shelf at school. Set on Lindisfarne and written with the voice of a young girl this book is a lovely story. Olivia is in the middle of a row between her friends at school, her parents are no longer together and her grandparents are not getting on with her mum meanwhile she feels at odds with everyone. A young man she meets on Lindisfarne is her opportunity to look at things differently as she also gets to know her dad better. This is written really well with plenty to think about and lovely characters.

[BrookesEducationLibrarian]

This is currently available for loan from the SEC at Harcourt Hill Library.

[Kirsty · Rating 4 out of 5]

thoughtful and really sweet. I really enjoyed it