Samera Kamaleddine, The sideways orbit of Evie Hart, HarperCollins Children’s Books, May 2023, RRP $17.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781460762653
Samera Kamaleddine’s second middle grade novel is The Sideways Orbit of Evie Hart. Evie Hart is a 12-year-old girl who lives her life in a happy family. However, she is facing personal problems. She manages ticks and flashes and on occasions has a fainting fit. Evie Hart has the support of her mother and stepdad Lee. She likes rules and this helps her manage her life. While she is teased by a classmate Nicole about her ticks and her strange eye movements, she has the support by her teacher and school. She also has good friends like Farrah and old Nance O’Neill who brings over pink iced buns every Wednesday. Everything seems in order, until Evie discovers that her stepdad Lee is moving to Dubbo to build a bridge.
Lee is an extraordinary stepdad and is always there for Evie and her sister Sadie. However, he will be living a long way from Sydney for a lengthy time. Evie is worried about living without Lee at home. It’s not totally evident that Lee is leaving forever, as Lee and Evie’s mother get on well. What is evident is that Lee leaving, throws Evie’s world upside down. She is worried about what will happen when he leaves. She also worries about next year when she is going to high school.
Evie’s mum, and her work as an astrology for a magazine as well as writing an astrology book is integral to Evie’s life. She talks to her about the universe. This integrates with the class theme of the solar system. Evie’s mother’s astrology and the science of space become part of Evie’s understanding of her life and change.
This is a thoughtful book for young and old space lovers. Each scientific fact and the astrological themes from Evie’s mother, parallel Evie’s anxieties. This gentle book is one way to deal with anxiety and facing change.
I not quite sure why Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, is part of Evie Hart’s fantasy. Evie wants to be like Kate Middleton. I think Evie is lovely without Kate. However, Evie does love Kate. Lee is a beautiful model of a stepdad.
For ages 8+
Reviewed by Susanne Gervay
Read Angela Brown’s review here.