Books of the Month

'Hide & Seek' by Clare Sambrook

JUNE 2006

Clare Sambrook’s is an impressive debut. Hide & Seek shows us life through the eyes of nine year old Harry Pickles, a youngster quite sure of himself and his place in the world – until something goes terribly wrong. When Harry’s younger brother Daniel goes missing during a school trip, everything changes. The question of blame is introduced in the very first paragraph, and it becomes clear that the degree and nature of Harry’s own culpability is something both complex and troubling.

Where the novel works best is in its portrayal of the disintegration of normality following Daniel’s disappearance, and how Harry’s involvement – though never overtly blamed, he can’t help but feel guilty – changes him as a person. The relationships between his parents, and those between parents and child, start to shift subtly, and the insight gained through looking at the whole affair through nine-year-old eyes reveals instances of touching courage, naivety and misunderstanding.

Just released in paperback, this is an affecting novel which won a Young Minds Award, and about which Jacqueline Wilson – who knows a thing or two about young people – wrote: ‘Hide & Seek is one of those rare novels you thrust at your friends and say “Read this!”. It's ultra-convincingly written from the view point of a nine year old boy but it's a very adult read. Wise and funny and searingly sad but ultimately heart-warming.’ It’s also been referred to as ‘the best book of its kind since… The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.’ Which isn’t a bad recommendation either.

Susan Tranter

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