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A Pocketful of Stars
When I next open my eyes, I’m back . . . in front of the house again.
It’s night time. The stars wave hello, like they’ve been expecting me.
The door of the house, Mum’s house, is wide open, like it expects me too.
This time, I go inside . . .
Safiya and her mum have never seen eye to eye. Her mum doesn’t understand Safiya’s love of gaming and Safiya doesn't think they have anything in common. As Safiya struggles to fit in at school she wonders if her mum wishes she was more like her confident best friend Elle. But then her mum falls into a coma and, when Safiya waits by her bedside, she finds herself in a strange alternative world that looks a bit like one of her games. And there’s a rebellious teenage girl, with a secret, who looks suspiciously familiar . . .
It’s night time. The stars wave hello, like they’ve been expecting me.
The door of the house, Mum’s house, is wide open, like it expects me too.
This time, I go inside . . .
Safiya and her mum have never seen eye to eye. Her mum doesn’t understand Safiya’s love of gaming and Safiya doesn't think they have anything in common. As Safiya struggles to fit in at school she wonders if her mum wishes she was more like her confident best friend Elle. But then her mum falls into a coma and, when Safiya waits by her bedside, she finds herself in a strange alternative world that looks a bit like one of her games. And there’s a rebellious teenage girl, with a secret, who looks suspiciously familiar . . .
256 pages, Paperback
First published August 8, 2019
66 people are currently reading
1883 people want to read
About the author
Aisha Bushby
21 books46 followersAisha Bushby was selected as one of only four previously unpublished authors in the Stripes anthology for BAME writers, A Change is Gonna Come, alongside writers such as Patrice Lawrence, Tanya Byrne and Nikesh Shukla. The anthology was awarded a YA Book Prize Special Achievement Award. Since then she has been taking part in panels, interviews and events across the UK, from Bristol Waterstones to Manchester Academy, Birmingham Literature Festival to Southbank YALW, BBC Radio 3 to Buzzfeed. A Pocketful of Stars is her debut novel.
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June 29, 2019Loved this to bits and read it in one sitting. A Pocketful of Stars is a deeply moving and sweet debut, which perfectly captures the discomfort I felt in my early teens – that sinking feeling of being left behind, and being made to feel silly and childish for not being obsessed with boys. This book would have been such a comfort to me if I'd had it back then.
April 19, 2021
I listened to this on borrowbox and I think this book would have been better to read. I enjoyed the mix of reality and fantasy and how it dealt with grief and the struggles of being a teenage girl. However, I found this book quite repetitive and think it would be more suitable for a younger audience.
March 24, 2020
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
This book was so much more than I ever thought it would be. I enjoyed every second of it, despite it ripping my heart in half. As both a mother and a daughter this story rang so familiar to me. It takes a common situation between a parent and child and gives it a unique life. The blurring of the fantasy world and the real world is done wonderfully. It's able to convey the desperate feelings of Safiya in a way that is both effective and hopeful.
A Pocketful of stars is well written and beautiful. It's story is one that will leave you heartbroken and in love.
This book was so much more than I ever thought it would be. I enjoyed every second of it, despite it ripping my heart in half. As both a mother and a daughter this story rang so familiar to me. It takes a common situation between a parent and child and gives it a unique life. The blurring of the fantasy world and the real world is done wonderfully. It's able to convey the desperate feelings of Safiya in a way that is both effective and hopeful.
A Pocketful of stars is well written and beautiful. It's story is one that will leave you heartbroken and in love.
May 14, 2019
Ahhhhh I just finished this book, and I am in tears, but it was an absolutely perfect ending. This whole book is so full of heart and magic. Safiya is a 14-year-old girl in London, obsessed with her favorite video game (an imagined one that sounds really fabulous!), splitting her time between her two loving divorced parents and trying to figure out the shifting rules of her relationship with her best friend as well as her increasingly fraught relationship with her mum. They used to have so much fun together, but now they're always at loggerheads and don't seem able to understand each other at all...
...and then her mum falls into a coma and everything changes. Suddenly, nothing's safe in Safiya's life at all, from her own mother to the friendships in school that she's relied on for years...and that's even before the (gorgeously written) magic begins, sweeping her back into visions of her mother's teenage years in Kuwait and the tensions that tangled her mother's own relationship with Safiya's grandmother.
This book is a beautiful, wistful fantasy about mothers and daughters and the excruciatingly painful tangles that can grow up between them - and it's also about finding yourself and your own purpose even when it's not what your mother or your friends you to be. It's a book about growing up, and the way that the magic mixes with Safiya's contemporary London life (in an almost magical-realist way) is just perfect.
I love the fact that none of the mother-daughter fights in this book are one-sided - Safiya's mum genuinely says and does things she shouldn't and so does Safiya (and Safiya's grandmother, too, in the memories Safiya witnesses). They're all strong-minded, passionate women who believe strongly in their own points of view - and love each other equally strongly, which makes their arguments even more painful. But the hope and compassion in the ending is heartwrenchingly well done. The tears I cried at the end of this book were so well-earned.
This is an utterly beautiful book, and I can't wait to read whatever Aisha Bushby writes next.
...and then her mum falls into a coma and everything changes. Suddenly, nothing's safe in Safiya's life at all, from her own mother to the friendships in school that she's relied on for years...and that's even before the (gorgeously written) magic begins, sweeping her back into visions of her mother's teenage years in Kuwait and the tensions that tangled her mother's own relationship with Safiya's grandmother.
This book is a beautiful, wistful fantasy about mothers and daughters and the excruciatingly painful tangles that can grow up between them - and it's also about finding yourself and your own purpose even when it's not what your mother or your friends you to be. It's a book about growing up, and the way that the magic mixes with Safiya's contemporary London life (in an almost magical-realist way) is just perfect.
I love the fact that none of the mother-daughter fights in this book are one-sided - Safiya's mum genuinely says and does things she shouldn't and so does Safiya (and Safiya's grandmother, too, in the memories Safiya witnesses). They're all strong-minded, passionate women who believe strongly in their own points of view - and love each other equally strongly, which makes their arguments even more painful. But the hope and compassion in the ending is heartwrenchingly well done. The tears I cried at the end of this book were so well-earned.
This is an utterly beautiful book, and I can't wait to read whatever Aisha Bushby writes next.
October 2, 2020
My biggest criticism with this book is that it is too short, and feels like it ends too soon. I am all for shorter books, not every book needs to be the next Eragon or what have you, but in all honesty I was more interested in the side plotline than the main one, and I felt like it wasn't wrapped up particularly well.
That being said, the ending did make me cry quite a bit (multiple tears!) so that is a point in it's favour. The main character, Safiya, seems to mature quite a bit through the book, especially for someone her age (I believe she is around 13?), and in my opinion was a pretty solid narrator.
Overall this was definitely an enjoyable read, I would have just preferred for it to have been a little longer.
That being said, the ending did make me cry quite a bit (multiple tears!) so that is a point in it's favour. The main character, Safiya, seems to mature quite a bit through the book, especially for someone her age (I believe she is around 13?), and in my opinion was a pretty solid narrator.
Overall this was definitely an enjoyable read, I would have just preferred for it to have been a little longer.
December 16, 2022
Історія дитячо-підліткова, головній героїні 13, але вона не поспішає дорослішати. Сафія любить грати в комп‘ютерну гру, а мама не розуміє цього захоплення.
Тут про спогади, про сімейну історію, про стосунки з мамою і подругами, про сміливість відстояти свої інтереси перед однолітками і дорослими. Трошки магії і багато дружби.
Я б радила і молодшим читачам, якщо дитина любить і багато читає, то можна з будь-якого віку.
Тут про спогади, про сімейну історію, про стосунки з мамою і подругами, про сміливість відстояти свої інтереси перед однолітками і дорослими. Трошки магії і багато дружби.
Я б радила і молодшим читачам, якщо дитина любить і багато читає, то можна з будь-якого віку.
August 8, 2019
A Pocketful of Stars is an incredible book: the very pages hum with magic. It follows Safiya in a story about friendship, love, courage and learning to let go. It will break your heart and then put it back together again and it will live with you long after the final word. An amazing debut you don’t want to miss!
April 19, 2019
God. This book. BROKE MY SOUL. Guys, it’s bloody brilliant. It’s full of hope, magic, wonder, intrigue and love. There’s so much love in this book: between friends, with family and for yourself and your own strength. I loved Saf’s story and I can’t wait for you all to discover it.
October 24, 2020
A STUNNING book. I loved every word. Cannot wait to read Aisha Bushby’s next work!
October 24, 2023
It was 3-4 stars until I turned into a waterfall at the end.
July 20, 2021
Beautiful story filled with grief, magic, family, friendships and learning to be a teenager.
Full review to come.
Full review to come.
January 2, 2025
Cu buzunarul plin de stele este romanul pe care l-am ales, trebuie să recunosc asta, mai mult pentru Amalia mea. L-am găsit pe @libris.ro, mi-a atras atenția datorită copertei colorate, apoi am observat că nici editura nu mi-era cunoscută.
Am realizat ulterior că mai văzusem câteva titluri interesante, dar nu remarcasem deloc că aparțin editurii Booklet, nu le știam colecțiile. E drept, nu le-am văzut nici promovate în online, fie de colegii mei, fie de bookstagramerii a căror vârstă este mai potrivită pentru poveștile aduse mai aproape de Booklet
V-am spus că am ales-o pentru Amalia. Maria deja a trecut granița dintre poveștile pentru copii/adolescenți și a pășit pe tărâmul poveștilor de oameni mari, așa cum le spunem noi deseori. Amalia este pasionată de limba engleză, mai ales în ultima vreme, și se distrează de minune citind în cărți în această limbă. O văd mereu concentrată, căutând după cuvinte necunoscute, încercând să le folosească mai apoi în discuțiile cu cei din jur. Așadar, acesta a fost primul motiv pentru care am ales să pun cartea în coș, să o așez pe noptieră și să o citesc.
Apoi, fără să îmi dau seama când, am alunecat pe o pantă care m-a dus în propria-mi copilărie, rămânând șocată de multele asemănări între viața ei și viața mea. Am simțit cum copilului meu interior i se deschide o ușă, i se apasă butoane și i se aprind amintiri, mai mult sau mai puțin plăcute. De un singur lucru m-am bucurat strașnic: că nu au citit fetele cartea înaintea mea, mai ales în perioada în care eu am fost, la rândul meu, internată în spital. Este o carte cu un puternic impact emoțional, mai ales dacă aveți legături speciale cu mamele voastre.
Am realizat ulterior că mai văzusem câteva titluri interesante, dar nu remarcasem deloc că aparțin editurii Booklet, nu le știam colecțiile. E drept, nu le-am văzut nici promovate în online, fie de colegii mei, fie de bookstagramerii a căror vârstă este mai potrivită pentru poveștile aduse mai aproape de Booklet
V-am spus că am ales-o pentru Amalia. Maria deja a trecut granița dintre poveștile pentru copii/adolescenți și a pășit pe tărâmul poveștilor de oameni mari, așa cum le spunem noi deseori. Amalia este pasionată de limba engleză, mai ales în ultima vreme, și se distrează de minune citind în cărți în această limbă. O văd mereu concentrată, căutând după cuvinte necunoscute, încercând să le folosească mai apoi în discuțiile cu cei din jur. Așadar, acesta a fost primul motiv pentru care am ales să pun cartea în coș, să o așez pe noptieră și să o citesc.
Apoi, fără să îmi dau seama când, am alunecat pe o pantă care m-a dus în propria-mi copilărie, rămânând șocată de multele asemănări între viața ei și viața mea. Am simțit cum copilului meu interior i se deschide o ușă, i se apasă butoane și i se aprind amintiri, mai mult sau mai puțin plăcute. De un singur lucru m-am bucurat strașnic: că nu au citit fetele cartea înaintea mea, mai ales în perioada în care eu am fost, la rândul meu, internată în spital. Este o carte cu un puternic impact emoțional, mai ales dacă aveți legături speciale cu mamele voastre.
April 13, 2021
Spoiler-free review: A beautiful story: it will stay with me forever!
I cannot explain how much I love this book. The description, emotion, atmosphere, everything! It's one of those books that you reccomend to all of your friends and one you will carry with you forever!
A Pocketful Of Stars is about a girl called Safiya. Safiya's parents are divorced, and she lives with her dad. However, she does not get along with her mum. Safiya's love for video games is always an excuse to argue. But one day, when Safiya's mum falls into a coma, Safiya feels more lost than ever, but one day, something very peculiar happens. Safiya is transported back to her mum's beautiful home in Kuwait. As Safiya discovers more about her mothers home and past, she figures out it is like her favourite video game and figures out how to play it. This game might not just save her mum, but Safiya herself...
This is such a gorgeous book and it is so beautifully written. It is a really interesting twist on a fantasy novel and it is so captivating! You follow Safiya on an amazing journey of self-discovery but also struggling with day-to-day life! We get two sides of the story: some chapters explore Safiya's day-to-day life and memories of her past, others of her transported back to the familiar house. I highly reccomend this book for anyone 10 years and over! Happy reading!
I cannot explain how much I love this book. The description, emotion, atmosphere, everything! It's one of those books that you reccomend to all of your friends and one you will carry with you forever!
A Pocketful Of Stars is about a girl called Safiya. Safiya's parents are divorced, and she lives with her dad. However, she does not get along with her mum. Safiya's love for video games is always an excuse to argue. But one day, when Safiya's mum falls into a coma, Safiya feels more lost than ever, but one day, something very peculiar happens. Safiya is transported back to her mum's beautiful home in Kuwait. As Safiya discovers more about her mothers home and past, she figures out it is like her favourite video game and figures out how to play it. This game might not just save her mum, but Safiya herself...
This is such a gorgeous book and it is so beautifully written. It is a really interesting twist on a fantasy novel and it is so captivating! You follow Safiya on an amazing journey of self-discovery but also struggling with day-to-day life! We get two sides of the story: some chapters explore Safiya's day-to-day life and memories of her past, others of her transported back to the familiar house. I highly reccomend this book for anyone 10 years and over! Happy reading!
August 26, 2019
This was a really wonderful MG novel that explored friendship and family with a lot of nuance and perspective.
There aren't a lot of books out there that discuss the ups and downs of friendships, toxic friendships, and just growing apart from people as you grow up. A Pocketful Of Stars does a really excellent portraying two friends who grow apart, and how one of those friends participates in some really damaging behaviour. It shows that it's perfectly okay to stand up to your "best friend" when they are behaving badly towards others, and yourself, and it's also okay to grow apart from your best friend, and find new friends as you grow as a person.
I also love all of the family aspects of this book. Safiya and her mother are not two people who always get along, especially as they have vastly different interests. But Safiya learns to appreciate and love her mother for who she is, same as her mother does for her, and for her mother before her.
I would especially recommend this book if you enjoyed A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness, as they have similar themes!
There aren't a lot of books out there that discuss the ups and downs of friendships, toxic friendships, and just growing apart from people as you grow up. A Pocketful Of Stars does a really excellent portraying two friends who grow apart, and how one of those friends participates in some really damaging behaviour. It shows that it's perfectly okay to stand up to your "best friend" when they are behaving badly towards others, and yourself, and it's also okay to grow apart from your best friend, and find new friends as you grow as a person.
I also love all of the family aspects of this book. Safiya and her mother are not two people who always get along, especially as they have vastly different interests. But Safiya learns to appreciate and love her mother for who she is, same as her mother does for her, and for her mother before her.
I would especially recommend this book if you enjoyed A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness, as they have similar themes!
September 11, 2020
A beautiful book that would be excellent for a child suffering bereavement to read.
Would 100% recommend.
Would 100% recommend.
December 8, 2019
4.5 stars
I’m so glad I kept reading this book and gave it a chance coz it took a while for me to get sucked into the magical memories of her mother.
I really loved the way this book dealt with friends and standing up for yourself and other people and the bravery it takes to be yourself and not ashamed for liking things and having interests and finding friends that like you for you and share similar or the same interests!!! So happy Safiya found True Friends!!! Also glad they had a Studio Ghibli movie marathon!
I’m not a gamer but I know how important gaming can be to a lot of people and I’m so glad they entered that competition! I would have liked to have known if they won or not!
I always love it when books have pets because pets are so important to people and they bring a different type of comfort. Pure magic tbh
anyways this is a really beautiful book about family and friendship and growing up and saying goodbye and also dealing with grief and loss.
I mean Cathy Cassidy said on the cover ‘A gorgeous story of friendship and growing up’ and yeah sounds about right.
I think it’s an important book for kids to read so they can evaluate their friendships and also remember to say I Love You yo their parents and not let their anger get the better of them.
And yes I did tear up 😢😢😢
I’m so glad I kept reading this book and gave it a chance coz it took a while for me to get sucked into the magical memories of her mother.
I really loved the way this book dealt with friends and standing up for yourself and other people and the bravery it takes to be yourself and not ashamed for liking things and having interests and finding friends that like you for you and share similar or the same interests!!! So happy Safiya found True Friends!!! Also glad they had a Studio Ghibli movie marathon!
I’m not a gamer but I know how important gaming can be to a lot of people and I’m so glad they entered that competition! I would have liked to have known if they won or not!
I always love it when books have pets because pets are so important to people and they bring a different type of comfort. Pure magic tbh
anyways this is a really beautiful book about family and friendship and growing up and saying goodbye and also dealing with grief and loss.
I mean Cathy Cassidy said on the cover ‘A gorgeous story of friendship and growing up’ and yeah sounds about right.
I think it’s an important book for kids to read so they can evaluate their friendships and also remember to say I Love You yo their parents and not let their anger get the better of them.
And yes I did tear up 😢😢😢
June 16, 2019
I read a book a few weeks ago that snuck into my heart and stayed there, which turned up right when I needed it. That feels as magic as the book is. I’m talking about A Pocketful or Stars by @aishabushby, which is an astonishing tale of love, grief and adventure.
Safiya and her mother have a complex relationship: both fiery women who spark off one another. But when her mother slips into a coma, Safiya is lost... until she discovers the magical perfume her mother wears might be the key to saving her.
Safiya finds herself slipping into another world that is somehow linked to her mother; maybe in that world she can save her? The novel takes nods from the charming worlds of Studio Ghibli and mechanics of RPGs, producing a truly magical adventure.
I also think this is one of the best explorations of grief and loss in a children’s novel since The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin (another phenomenal novel) and Bushby never skirts around the difficult nor patronises her readers.
This book is beautiful, filled with love and also quietly devastating, in a way that feels so true and honest. It is a book that will feed your heart and soul.
A Pocketful of Stars is out on August the 8th, and comes with a very strong recommendation from me.
Safiya and her mother have a complex relationship: both fiery women who spark off one another. But when her mother slips into a coma, Safiya is lost... until she discovers the magical perfume her mother wears might be the key to saving her.
Safiya finds herself slipping into another world that is somehow linked to her mother; maybe in that world she can save her? The novel takes nods from the charming worlds of Studio Ghibli and mechanics of RPGs, producing a truly magical adventure.
I also think this is one of the best explorations of grief and loss in a children’s novel since The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin (another phenomenal novel) and Bushby never skirts around the difficult nor patronises her readers.
This book is beautiful, filled with love and also quietly devastating, in a way that feels so true and honest. It is a book that will feed your heart and soul.
A Pocketful of Stars is out on August the 8th, and comes with a very strong recommendation from me.
October 2, 2019
Safyia lives with her father as her parents are divorced. Safyia is at that pre-teen stage where everything is changing and friendships can be tested as well as her relationship with her mother.
Safyia's mother has a stroke and is in a coma. Safyia feels like it's her fault because the last time she saw her mother they argued. On one of her visits to the hospital, Safyia falls asleep by her mum's bed and something strange happens and she feels as if she has been transported to her mum's birthplace in Kuwait.
What follows is a story touched with magic as Safyia tries to connect with her mother as well as navigate her own changing world. It is a bittersweet story about growing up as well as dealing with the things life throws at you.
Safyia's mother has a stroke and is in a coma. Safyia feels like it's her fault because the last time she saw her mother they argued. On one of her visits to the hospital, Safyia falls asleep by her mum's bed and something strange happens and she feels as if she has been transported to her mum's birthplace in Kuwait.
What follows is a story touched with magic as Safyia tries to connect with her mother as well as navigate her own changing world. It is a bittersweet story about growing up as well as dealing with the things life throws at you.
July 22, 2020
Safiya and her mum are not the best of friends. However, when her mum suffers a stroke, Safiya starts feeling like only she can rescue her mother. Is it her video gaming passion that makes her assume this, or is there some magic in the air?
My opinion: A very well written debut novel. It dips a bit in the middle but considering that it's aimed at teens, it is quite wonderful. The storyline is very creative. Fantasy fans would love this much more than I did. I'm still learning to read & enjoy Fantasy. Suitable for all above 12yrs of age.
Rating: 4.25/5
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My opinion: A very well written debut novel. It dips a bit in the middle but considering that it's aimed at teens, it is quite wonderful. The storyline is very creative. Fantasy fans would love this much more than I did. I'm still learning to read & enjoy Fantasy. Suitable for all above 12yrs of age.
Rating: 4.25/5
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Join me on the Facebook group, " Readers Forever! ", for more reviews and other book-related discussions and fun.
August 12, 2019
Safiya's mum is in a coma, and Safiya is desperate to be closer to her. Then she falls into a strange world that seems to be coming from her mother's memories of her childhood in Kuwait - and Safiya's own favourite computer games. This is a gorgeous, magical story with a twist, and a wonderful, assured debut. (8+)
*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. If you use it in any marketing material, online or anywhere on a published book without asking permission from me first, I will ask you to remove that use immediately. Thank you!*
*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. If you use it in any marketing material, online or anywhere on a published book without asking permission from me first, I will ask you to remove that use immediately. Thank you!*
September 2, 2020
This was such a heartfelt and moving story that was so well written and full of wonder. A clever blend of magic and the real world which brought Safiya’s story together beautifully. The way in which Safiya had to tackle down her challenges and deal with her complicated family relationships was interesting - sometimes understanding your own family history does help shape the person you want to become as well as the decisions you need to make in the future. Though this was written for a middle grade audience, it can me enjoyed by older readers. A very touching story..
May 2, 2019
I absolutely adored this: magical, full of heart and moved me to tears. Aisha Bushby's writing is stunning, rich and lyrical, and deftly deals with some very heavy topics (divorce, loss, bullying and broken friendships). I'd happily recommend this to readers young and not so young.
March 31, 2024
Aisha Bushby's "A Pocketful of Stars" is a fantastic journey through grief that does an impressive job of keeping the story both appropriate for a general middle grade audience without patronizing children who may be going through loss in their real lives.
Even as an adult reader, I was impressed by how well paced and emotionally nuanced the story managed to be. And while the fantasy/magical realism elements are occasionally too convenient, I appreciated how they never crossed the line into something that would overbalance the issues around children being essentially powerless when dealing with a slow parental loss.
Very well done. Highly recommended for the 10-14 age group.
Even as an adult reader, I was impressed by how well paced and emotionally nuanced the story managed to be. And while the fantasy/magical realism elements are occasionally too convenient, I appreciated how they never crossed the line into something that would overbalance the issues around children being essentially powerless when dealing with a slow parental loss.
Very well done. Highly recommended for the 10-14 age group.
January 3, 2020
I really loved Aisha’s story in A Change is Gonna Come so I was really looking forward to reading her debut book and it did not disappoint!
This is a book that I wish I had been able to read when I was younger and trying to navigate my way through high school. It deals with friendships and bullying and growing up and changing. Everything that a lot of young people can struggle with. And the way Aisha deals with these issues is so beautifully done.
Reading a book where Safiya learns that it is okay to not be interested in the same things that other girls are interested in and want to talk about boys was so refreshing to read. High school can be so difficult for so many reasons and peer pressure being one of them. You feel like you have to like what the other girls and your friends like. But Safiya learns that it’s actually okay to continue to enjoy video games and have her own interests that are different from her friends. It doesn’t make her childish and she doesn’t need to “grow up” and like the same things as her friends. I loved seeing that so much!
“Being brave is about doing something even when it scares you.”
One of the themes in the book is friendship and how as you grown and change you can find yourself drifting apart from those who were your best friends. Safiya feels like she needs to hold on to those friendships because it is safe and constant in her life, even when that friendship is no longer safe and starts to become toxic. But slowly she learns that she shouldn’t stay friends with someone who is toxic to her and that it is okay to let go, that it is okay to become friends with others as your interests change and align with them. It can be painful but it will be okay. I also really loved how Safiya learns to stand up for herself and for those who are being bullied. It was so great to see these things in the book.
Aisha’s writing is beautiful and her descriptions are vivid that I felt like I was right there with Safiya. I loved the magic of Safiya seeing her mother’s memories and learning about her mum. The sounds and smells and tastes, oh the food descriptions! I just wanted to eat everything! The journey she takes to learn about her mum especially as at the time she wasn’t seeing eye to eye with her mum, not only helped her to understand her mum better but it was also a journey of self discovery.
“If you cut mum and me open we’d be filled with the very same fire, glowing red and orange and gold.”
This book is beautifully written and I really think that young people should read this book, in fact everyone go read this book!
This is a book that I wish I had been able to read when I was younger and trying to navigate my way through high school. It deals with friendships and bullying and growing up and changing. Everything that a lot of young people can struggle with. And the way Aisha deals with these issues is so beautifully done.
Reading a book where Safiya learns that it is okay to not be interested in the same things that other girls are interested in and want to talk about boys was so refreshing to read. High school can be so difficult for so many reasons and peer pressure being one of them. You feel like you have to like what the other girls and your friends like. But Safiya learns that it’s actually okay to continue to enjoy video games and have her own interests that are different from her friends. It doesn’t make her childish and she doesn’t need to “grow up” and like the same things as her friends. I loved seeing that so much!
“Being brave is about doing something even when it scares you.”
One of the themes in the book is friendship and how as you grown and change you can find yourself drifting apart from those who were your best friends. Safiya feels like she needs to hold on to those friendships because it is safe and constant in her life, even when that friendship is no longer safe and starts to become toxic. But slowly she learns that she shouldn’t stay friends with someone who is toxic to her and that it is okay to let go, that it is okay to become friends with others as your interests change and align with them. It can be painful but it will be okay. I also really loved how Safiya learns to stand up for herself and for those who are being bullied. It was so great to see these things in the book.
Aisha’s writing is beautiful and her descriptions are vivid that I felt like I was right there with Safiya. I loved the magic of Safiya seeing her mother’s memories and learning about her mum. The sounds and smells and tastes, oh the food descriptions! I just wanted to eat everything! The journey she takes to learn about her mum especially as at the time she wasn’t seeing eye to eye with her mum, not only helped her to understand her mum better but it was also a journey of self discovery.
“If you cut mum and me open we’d be filled with the very same fire, glowing red and orange and gold.”
This book is beautifully written and I really think that young people should read this book, in fact everyone go read this book!
September 6, 2019
*I received a free ARC of this book, with thanks to the author and Amazon’s Vine Programme. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
A Pocketful of Stars is a painful, beautiful story about the gaps that can form in our relationships as we grow and change, and whether those gaps can (or should) be held together.
Charting Safiya’s struggles with growing up, and the changes it brings to her relationship with her best friend and with her mother, the author perfectly captures the awkward, lonely feeling of being poised between girl and woman, and not knowing where you fit with others or in your own skin.
Safiya’s lost feelings are amplified when her mother falls ill after an argument – a common tragedy that haunts my nightmares! – and she is no longer there to push against. Faced with the sudden reality of her mother’s life as an individual, pre-daughter, Safiya has to learn to listen more to those she cares about, but also to speak up for herself when things aren’t right.
There is so much heartbreak here: Aminah’s coma, school bullying, lost friendships and isolation. But there is also joy, as Safiyah follows her heart and forges new friendships, finding strength she didn’t know she had, and coming closer to her mother as she finds herself.
I would definitely recommend this to middle-grade and above, particularly to girls (and women!), who may recognise these emotions and experiences, and feel comforted and inspired in their own life choices.
Ever since Mum and Dad divorced, and I decided to live with Dad, they set up these Saturday visits as part of the custody agreement. Mum and I hang out in the afternoon, and then we have dinner together and a sleepover. Usually Mum cooks, sometimes it’s a takeaway, but it’s always just been the two of us.
Until today.
I can’t help but think that maybe Elle’s the daughter Mum should’ve had, the daughter she would’ve wanted.
But instead she ended up with me.
– Aisha Bushby, A Pocketful of Stars
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
A Pocketful of Stars is a painful, beautiful story about the gaps that can form in our relationships as we grow and change, and whether those gaps can (or should) be held together.
Charting Safiya’s struggles with growing up, and the changes it brings to her relationship with her best friend and with her mother, the author perfectly captures the awkward, lonely feeling of being poised between girl and woman, and not knowing where you fit with others or in your own skin.
Safiya’s lost feelings are amplified when her mother falls ill after an argument – a common tragedy that haunts my nightmares! – and she is no longer there to push against. Faced with the sudden reality of her mother’s life as an individual, pre-daughter, Safiya has to learn to listen more to those she cares about, but also to speak up for herself when things aren’t right.
There is so much heartbreak here: Aminah’s coma, school bullying, lost friendships and isolation. But there is also joy, as Safiyah follows her heart and forges new friendships, finding strength she didn’t know she had, and coming closer to her mother as she finds herself.
I would definitely recommend this to middle-grade and above, particularly to girls (and women!), who may recognise these emotions and experiences, and feel comforted and inspired in their own life choices.
Ever since Mum and Dad divorced, and I decided to live with Dad, they set up these Saturday visits as part of the custody agreement. Mum and I hang out in the afternoon, and then we have dinner together and a sleepover. Usually Mum cooks, sometimes it’s a takeaway, but it’s always just been the two of us.
Until today.
I can’t help but think that maybe Elle’s the daughter Mum should’ve had, the daughter she would’ve wanted.
But instead she ended up with me.
– Aisha Bushby, A Pocketful of Stars
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
September 9, 2019
I do not usually read books for young adults, but I was entranced reading some of this. Teenage Safia (Saffy) is not the same as her friends and peers in school although she longs to be, but only sometimes. The reader steps into Saffy's real world and then into her imagination. Throughout this book, the real and the imaginary combine. In the beginning it seems an ordinary story where Safira and her mother argue and that particular argument at the beginning of the book sparks off the imagination towards the end. Safira remembers when her parents tell her they are going to divorce and she chooses to live with her dad. This hurts her mum, but Saffy knows she cannot live with her mum because of the conflict. This is Saffy's real world of growing-up, in school when she has to wear a 'snot-green' uniform, where her best friendship with Elle is broken, because Elle has found herself a boyfriend who is unacceptable to Saffy and where she herself seems isolated from the rest. She yearns for true friendship, but when it is offered again she refuses it at first as she still can't understand why her former best friend has let her down. But all the time she is growing up she retreats into her world of gaming and the video game Hunter Fairies where her childish imagination takes over. It is not until something awful happens to her mother that she tries to find out why it has happened to her family and a way to bring her mother back to Saffy and her dad. The imaginary parts are very fine and plotted carefully as she retreats into her dreams as into her game. She dreams herself into a house where she has never been but where her mother lived in her childhood. This game in her head overwhelms her, as does the tragic incident that is changing her life once more. This story has an original twist. It is moving and sad, but only in one way, because in that awful time she goes through, she finds her true self. It would be a lovely present for a early teen girl.
September 27, 2020
4.25/5 EDIT SEP2020 I need to increase the rating of this book. It stuck in my head like a fairytale. The visuals remaining feel so warm and real. The book focused so much on describing scents and feelings it left a lingering impression afterall. Beautiful middlegrade book about family and grief. Highly recommend.
3/5 Rating this is very weird for me because I know the story is better and I should rate it about a 4/5 but I just didn't vibe with it. It wasn't for me and I would rate it maybe a 2.5/5 if I was honest.
*Why it is good*:
This is a magical realism middle-grade book about a girl who struggles in her relationship with her mum. She is disconnected from her heritage. She struggles in her friendships. And then it happens. Her mum suffers a stroke and falls into a coma.
She starts to explore her mother's past through a magical game. You almost can smell the perfume and feel the heat of Kuwait on your skin through this book. It's freaking beautiful. The way it explores her grief and need for understanding. The way it explores how she wants to save her mum. I adore the development of friendship in this. I love the ending!
*Why I didn't like it as much as I probably should*:
I lacked a bit more of a poetical side to it. I lacked a bit of depth. It's just the format. I am probably not a person who likes middle-grade books? I don't know yet. I skipped through pages, because I knew exactly where it goes and that I won't miss anything. I wasn't really suprised, but I was in awe about the beauty. I want to go to Kuwait now and see the palmtrees and feel the heat. I feel wanderlust.
This feels like a book I would have enjoyed the most with older characters and more emotional depth. I already feel like I should raise the rating writing this review *sighs*
If you like middle-grade and stories exploring platonic relationships. GO FOR IT.
3/5 Rating this is very weird for me because I know the story is better and I should rate it about a 4/5 but I just didn't vibe with it. It wasn't for me and I would rate it maybe a 2.5/5 if I was honest.
*Why it is good*:
This is a magical realism middle-grade book about a girl who struggles in her relationship with her mum. She is disconnected from her heritage. She struggles in her friendships. And then it happens. Her mum suffers a stroke and falls into a coma.
She starts to explore her mother's past through a magical game. You almost can smell the perfume and feel the heat of Kuwait on your skin through this book. It's freaking beautiful. The way it explores her grief and need for understanding. The way it explores how she wants to save her mum. I adore the development of friendship in this. I love the ending!
*Why I didn't like it as much as I probably should*:
I lacked a bit more of a poetical side to it. I lacked a bit of depth. It's just the format. I am probably not a person who likes middle-grade books? I don't know yet. I skipped through pages, because I knew exactly where it goes and that I won't miss anything. I wasn't really suprised, but I was in awe about the beauty. I want to go to Kuwait now and see the palmtrees and feel the heat. I feel wanderlust.
This feels like a book I would have enjoyed the most with older characters and more emotional depth. I already feel like I should raise the rating writing this review *sighs*
If you like middle-grade and stories exploring platonic relationships. GO FOR IT.
January 3, 2022
A Pocketful of Stars was a touching read of a young girl struggling in school and feeling guilt that a heated argument she had with her mother put her in hospital in a coma. Visiting her mother, Safiya sees glimpses of her mother's past and learns to understand her more.
While the end broke my heart, I was surprised to learn that Safiya was supposed in be in Year 8 because she acted and behaved much younger. My Year 8 students would cringe at some of the things she said and did.
Despite this, A Pocketful of Stars will suit middle-school readers as it deals with friendship, bereavement, guilt and self-awareness in a well-written debut.
While the end broke my heart, I was surprised to learn that Safiya was supposed in be in Year 8 because she acted and behaved much younger. My Year 8 students would cringe at some of the things she said and did.
Despite this, A Pocketful of Stars will suit middle-school readers as it deals with friendship, bereavement, guilt and self-awareness in a well-written debut.
July 11, 2019
This was a very sweet read, very emotional. Will be back with a proper review soon!
*EDITED*
I received this copy in exchange for an honest review from Definitely Books (Pansing). All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you Pansing!
This book is available where all good books are.
I do not usually read MG novels, but first, when I saw the cover, I fell in love. And then I read the synopsis, and I knew I had to read the book.
This was 200 odd pages of pure emotion, honestly. Our main character is a young gamer who finds she cannot connect with her mother, and whose friendship with her best friend is changing, and when her mother suffers a sudden stroke and falls into a coma, her life is turned on it’s head. Add to that the fact she starts seeing flashes of her mother as a young woman when she visits her in the hospital, reminiscent of a video game, and things are definitely confusing.
The story could have been very preachy? I feel? But it unfolded in a very raw and real way, and balanced a very whimsical and magical feel with the very true emotions of a young woman scared of losing her mother and also watching her best friend grow up and feeling like she is being left behind.
I feel like I connected with this on multiple levels because I grew closer with my mom as I got older, and now I have a young daughter of my own, and mother-daughter dynamics are a HUGE PART of this story. It was handled all with a subtle nuance that young readers will be able to connect with. And paired with that is a friendship that is changing and growing apart, but also a hopeful note on new beginnings.
I am so glad to have gotten this novel because I loved it so much!
*EDITED*
I received this copy in exchange for an honest review from Definitely Books (Pansing). All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you Pansing!
This book is available where all good books are.
I do not usually read MG novels, but first, when I saw the cover, I fell in love. And then I read the synopsis, and I knew I had to read the book.
This was 200 odd pages of pure emotion, honestly. Our main character is a young gamer who finds she cannot connect with her mother, and whose friendship with her best friend is changing, and when her mother suffers a sudden stroke and falls into a coma, her life is turned on it’s head. Add to that the fact she starts seeing flashes of her mother as a young woman when she visits her in the hospital, reminiscent of a video game, and things are definitely confusing.
The story could have been very preachy? I feel? But it unfolded in a very raw and real way, and balanced a very whimsical and magical feel with the very true emotions of a young woman scared of losing her mother and also watching her best friend grow up and feeling like she is being left behind.
I feel like I connected with this on multiple levels because I grew closer with my mom as I got older, and now I have a young daughter of my own, and mother-daughter dynamics are a HUGE PART of this story. It was handled all with a subtle nuance that young readers will be able to connect with. And paired with that is a friendship that is changing and growing apart, but also a hopeful note on new beginnings.
I am so glad to have gotten this novel because I loved it so much!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 26, 2020
"Memories are strange.
Some blur into nothing but a haze of colour.
Some blend into others until all you can remember is the memory of a memory of a memory, and you don't quite know where your imagination takes over.
And then there are other memories that are stark. It doesn't matter how long ago they happened; you remember them as clearly as if you were reliving them each time."
Safiya Fisher gadis berusia 13 tahun, adalah sosok yang pendiam, pemalu, dan penyuka game. Sudah empat tahun sejak orangtua Safiya bercerai dan Safiya merasa semakin jauh dari ibunya, Aminah. Safiya merasa semakin banyak perbedaan dan argumen antara dirinya dengan sang ibu. Sampai suatu hari Safiya mendapatkan informasi jika ibunya berada di rumah sakit dan dalam kondisi koma.
Selama ibunya dalam kondisi koma inilah Safiya mengalami hal-hal yang magis. Setiap kali Safiya berada di samping ibunya dan mencium aroma parfum ibunya, Safiya akan tertidur dan dalam tidurnya itu Safiya serasa masuk ke dalam ingatan ibunya. Safiya melihat kejadian penting dan monumental saat ibunya masih seusia dengannya.
***
Ini buku middle grade - magical realism pertama yang kubaca dan cukup menarik juga. Awal buku memang plotnya agak lambat dan baru mulai seru ketika Safiya udah mulai mengerti tentang masa lalu ibunya ini. Yang aku suka dari karakter Safiya ini, dia berpikiran masih layaknya anak umur 13 tahun tapi selama di buku ini diceritain juga bagaimana character development nya baik itu dengan keluarganya dan juga teman di sekelilingnya. Meskipun magical realism, tapi akhirnya masih termasuk realistis.
Some blur into nothing but a haze of colour.
Some blend into others until all you can remember is the memory of a memory of a memory, and you don't quite know where your imagination takes over.
And then there are other memories that are stark. It doesn't matter how long ago they happened; you remember them as clearly as if you were reliving them each time."
Safiya Fisher gadis berusia 13 tahun, adalah sosok yang pendiam, pemalu, dan penyuka game. Sudah empat tahun sejak orangtua Safiya bercerai dan Safiya merasa semakin jauh dari ibunya, Aminah. Safiya merasa semakin banyak perbedaan dan argumen antara dirinya dengan sang ibu. Sampai suatu hari Safiya mendapatkan informasi jika ibunya berada di rumah sakit dan dalam kondisi koma.
Selama ibunya dalam kondisi koma inilah Safiya mengalami hal-hal yang magis. Setiap kali Safiya berada di samping ibunya dan mencium aroma parfum ibunya, Safiya akan tertidur dan dalam tidurnya itu Safiya serasa masuk ke dalam ingatan ibunya. Safiya melihat kejadian penting dan monumental saat ibunya masih seusia dengannya.
***
Ini buku middle grade - magical realism pertama yang kubaca dan cukup menarik juga. Awal buku memang plotnya agak lambat dan baru mulai seru ketika Safiya udah mulai mengerti tentang masa lalu ibunya ini. Yang aku suka dari karakter Safiya ini, dia berpikiran masih layaknya anak umur 13 tahun tapi selama di buku ini diceritain juga bagaimana character development nya baik itu dengan keluarganya dan juga teman di sekelilingnya. Meskipun magical realism, tapi akhirnya masih termasuk realistis.
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