The ape star by Frida Nilsson

Having read Hattie and Olaf (2021) as my first introduction to the work of Swedish author, Frida Nilsson, I was very keen to read her latest book The Ape Star. Nilsson, once again, creates in 9 year old Jonna, a wonderful, feisty and funny female main character. Jonna has been likened to Pippi Longstocking. Perhaps it is the orphaned girl; perhaps there is something about the Swedish style of presenting character. In any case year 4 classes at my school were introduced to The Ape Star today in the library. Though we have only just read to the part where the ape steps out of the beat up old car to the shock of all the hopeful orphans at Renfanan Home for Orphans and though we haven't even finished the first chapter, the children are begging for the The Ape Star to be read every time that they have library lesson-in serial form.

The story is told in first person through Jonna's voice. The plot moves at a jaunty pace. We are introduced to Gerda, the manager of the orphanage. Although she is nasty, the nastiness is somehow not too bad when viewed through the inimitable perspective of Jonna. Basically the orphanage children all... 'longed for a real home, a real mother, a lovely one with her hair in a bun and a waft of perfume.'

We meet the sinister Tord Fjordmark and a sense of foreboding is created. A crisis develops and must be overcome. There is a sense of a terrible power imbalance and it is little people against the Council. Out of the deepening crisis comes initiative, teamwork and a realisation of what is important.

The Ape Star teaches that love doesn't come in neat packages and it teaches something about the petty nastiness that is dealt out to people who look different. With delicate sensitivity, Nilsson depicts the embarrassment felt by children when they or their family do not fit the norm and the difficulty of feeling always judged and looked down upon when you or a loved one is different. Young readers would empathise with Jonna as she struggles through a range of these emotions until she reaches the place where the power of love overcomes and negates everything else. 

The reader needs to focus on some details at the start of the book because the story is circular and connections will be made through a trail of little breadcrumbs which bring aha moments  and great satisfaction. The delightful accompanying illustrations come from the feature film The Ape Star. 

I concur with The Times Children's Book of the Week - 'Nilsson has the power to make you remember what it was like to be small, fierce, disempowered...- However feeling disempowered is not a barrier to Jonna - ever!

The Ape Star is a delight!

Themes: Orphans, Acceptance of difference, Love.

Wendy Jeffrey