The Un-Forgotten Coat by Frank Cottrell Boyce
Walker Books, 2011.
Recommended for ages: 10+. To me The Un-Forgotten Coat is a
whimsical tale and its characters seem intangible and enigmatic. While
this may make the story feel a little less realistic or identifiable it
also adds to the overall sense of wonderment, especially when reading
the true story the book was based on. Full of hope and open-mindedness,
the main character, a Year 6 girl from the small English town of
Bootle, yearns to get a glimpse into the lives and homes of others. The
reader quickly gets drawn into her fascination with new ways of
thinking and looking at things as she becomes friends with two
immigrant children from Mongolia. What she doesn't expect is that the
new arrivals to the school do not have the mysterious and exotic
belongings and life that she imagines. For a brief moment the three
children guide themselves into a imaginative world where they all feel
like they belong before plummeting back to reality. This book is
incredibly appealing aesthetically due to its resemblance to an old,
yellowing notepad and the addition of the striking polaroid photographs
which are an integral element of the story. Despite this I think the
sheer beauty and sugary sweetness of this book somewhat masks the very
real refugee story lying inside it. In addition the book is written
from the perspective of the main character, now an adult, reminiscing
about this childhood event and while I really enjoyed reading it I
cannot decide whether children will feel any sense of connectedness
with the characters or the story. This is a very short story; however I
think it will have greater appeal for older children and would be a
great classroom read aloud text for stimulating discussions around
refugees and immigration issues.
Nicole Smith-Forrest