Caught in the Crossfire

by Alan Gibbons

Overview

Set in a Northern town, where right-wingers are determined to stir up hatred and racial prejudice, CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE is about six teenagers whose lives are woven together by a series of shocking and tragic events. A British Muslim brother and sister, two Irish brothers who take different sides, and two lads out looking for trouble: all of them get caught in the crossfire.
Inspired by the Oldham riots and the events of September 11th, this is a book that needed to be written. It is a chilling account of what is happening in Britain today, but as always Alan Gibbons writes with humour and understanding and is utterly on the wavelength of his many readers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781444004014
Publisher:	Hachette Children's Group
Publication date:	12/23/2010
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
File size:	555 KB
Age Range:	12 - 18 Years

About the Author

Alan Gibbons is a full-time writer and a visiting speaker and lecturer at schools, colleges and literary events nationwide, including the major book festivals. He lives in Liverpool with his wife and has four grown up children. He travels globally and is known the length and breadth of the country for his high profile Campaign for the Book and school visits.

Visit his website at http://www.alangibbons.com, read his blog at http://alangibbons.net, follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/mygibbo, Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/alan.gibbons.35 and Flickr at http://www.flickr.com/people/71279646@N08.

Alan Gibbons is a full-time writer and a visiting speaker and lecturer at schools, colleges and literary events nationwide, including the major book festivals: Edinburgh, Northern Children's Book Festival, Swansea, Cheltenham, Sheffield and Salford. Alan is a key supporter of a high-profile, nationwide campaign to champion libraries and librarianship and to reevaluate government commitment to educational spending. He lives in Liverpool with his wife and four children. Alan is an honorary CILIP member.

Visit Alan's website at www.alangibbons.com, read his blog at alangibbons.net, follow him on Twitter @mygibbo, Facebook www.facebook.com/alan.gibbons.35 and Flickr www.flickr.com/people/71279646@N08.

Editorial Reviews

Gr 9 Up-British author Alan Gibbon has written a novel (Orion, 2003) dealing with the universal themes of brotherhood and acceptance. Rabia, a British-Pakistani Muslim, and Mike, an open-minded British Caucasian, become friends, although each has a radical, prejudiced brother who doesn't want the two cultures to mix. These difficulties are fueled by a neo-Nazi group which is trying to gain power in their town. Tension builds gradually until the tragic climax. Several references to West Side Story foreshadow this end. Most British terms and slang can be understood in context. British actor Chris Hoban's voice adds realism to the telling, and he reads quickly and changes pace frequently as the story progresses. His tone is expressive and his accent is clear and easily understood. An excellent multicultural choice for mature students.-Claudia Moore, W.T. Woodson High School, Fairfax, VA Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

Alan Gibbons's story effectively recreates the post-9/11 world. Through the eyes of two families, both sides of a British versus British-Muslim riot, and its evolution, are presented. Narrator Chris Hoban expertly moves not only the dialogue, but also the multifaceted narrative along, capturing the accents and emotions of Liam, Mike, Rabia, and Tahir. Because this is a fully dimensionally depiction of the characters, no one is totally good or bad, making the story even more wrenching. Hoban delivers all sides of this tragic story while maintaining hope and optimism at its conclusion. A splendid choice for listeners who enjoy a well-told story and for those trying to understand 21st-century prejudice. S.G.B. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine

APR/MAY 06 - AudioFile