The Heaven Shop
The Heaven Shop by Deborah Ellis, published by Fitzhenry & Whiteside on October 17, 2007, is a poignant narrative that explores the impact of the AIDS pandemic in Malawi through the eyes of a young girl. This edition spans 186 pages and is presented in English. The story follows Binti Phiri, who faces the harsh realities of being an orphan after losing her parents to AIDS. Separated from her siblings and treated poorly by relatives, Binti grapples with her identity and the loss of her former life as a child star.
Readers will find a compelling portrayal of resilience as Binti navigates her new circumstances while clinging to hope for a reunion with her siblings. The narrative delves into themes of family, grief, and social challenges, offering insight into the lives of children affected by the AIDS crisis in Africa. The Heaven Shop presents a vivid exploration of Binti’s journey as she seeks to redefine what it means to be special in a world that has changed dramatically around her.
Official synopsis Publisher
There is a lion in our village, and it is carrying away our children.
At her father’s funeral, Binti’s grandmother utters the words that no one in Malawi wants to hear. Binti’s father and her mother before him, dies of AIDS. Binti, her sister, and brother are separated and sent to the home of relatives who can barely tolerate their presence. Ostracized by their extended family, the orphans are treated like the lowest servants. With her brother far away and her sister wallowing in her own sorrow, Binti can hardly contain her rage. She, Binti Phirim, was once a child star of a popular radio program. Now she is scraping to survive. Binti always believed she was special, now she is nothing but a common AIDS orphan.
Binti Phiri is not about to give up. Even as she clings to hope that her former life will be restored, she must face a greater challenge. If she and her brother and sister are to reunited, Binti Phiri will have to look outside herself and find a new way to be special.
Compelling and uplifting, The Heaven Shop, is a contemporary novel that puts a very real face on the African AIDS pandemic, which to-date has orphaned more than 11 million African children. Inspired by a young radio performer the author met during her research visit to Malawi, Binti Phiri is a compelling character that readers will never forget.
Awards and Nominations:
- Ontario Library Association’s Golden Oak Award winner 2006
- Winner of the 2005 Jane Addams Children’s Book Award in the category of Honor Books for Older Children
- Shortlisted for the 2006 Alberta Children’s Choice Book Award
- A Manitoba Young Readers’ Choice Awards Honour Book for 2006
- Foreword Magazine 2004 Book of the Year Award finalist
- A Children’s Africana Book Awards (CABA) 2005 Honor Book for Older Readers
- A Canadian Children’s Book Centre Our Choice 2005
- Ruth & Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Award for Young Adult/Middle Reader Books finalist
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