The Great Blue Yonder
By: Alex Shearer
'You'll be sorry when I'm dead.' That's what Harry said to his sister, before the incident with the lorry. And now he is just that - dead. And he wishes more than anything that he hadn't said it. He wishes he could say sorry. And say goodbye to everyone he left behind - his mum, his dad, his best friend Pete, even Jelly Donkins, the class bully. Now he's on the Other Side, waiting to move on to the Great Blue Yonder. But he doesn't know how to get there - until he meets Arthur, a small boy in a top hat, who's been dead for years, who helps him say goodbye...The Great Blue Yonder by Alex Shearer is the quirky, gentle journey of a boy stuck between looking back, and moving on.
AI Overview
Title: The Great Blue Yonder by Alex Shearer
Plot Summary: "The Great Blue Yonder" is a children's novel that follows the story of Harry, a young boy who dies in a bike accident involving a lorry. After his death, Harry finds himself in the "Other Side," a strange land where the sun is always setting but never quite disappears. Here, he encounters other dead people who are waiting to move on to the Great Blue Yonder, but Harry is unsure about what this means and doesn't want to go there until he has found a way to apologize to his sister for the mean things he said to her before the accident. To achieve this, Harry decides to return to Earth as a ghost, which involves facing the life he left behind and saying goodbye to his loved ones.
Harry meets Arthur, a small boy in a top hat who has been dead for years, and together they embark on a journey to help Harry resolve his unfinished business. This includes saying goodbye to his family and friends, particularly his sister Eggy, and making amends for his past actions. The story explores themes of nostalgia, acceptance, and the impermanence of relationships as Harry navigates the afterlife and grapples with the finality of death.
Key Themes:
- Nostalgia: The novel explores Harry's longing for his past life and the relationships he had before his death.
- Acceptance: Harry's journey is about coming to terms with his death and the fact that he can't change the past.
- Impermanence of Relationships: The story highlights how relationships can be fleeting and how important it is to cherish them while they last.
Critical Reception:
- Mixed Reviews: The book has received mixed reviews. Some readers, like Sophie13 on Goodreads, have expressed strong dislike for the book, stating that they found it boring and unengaging.
- Positive Reviews: On the other hand, some critics have praised the book for its sensitive and gentle exploration of the afterlife. For example, "The Times" described it as "a sensitive, gentle exploration of the saddest thing that can ever happen... very moving indeed".
Author's Background: Alex Shearer is a prolific author who has written over a dozen books for both adults and children. He has also had a successful career in television, film, and stage and radio plays. Shearer's diverse background and experience are reflected in the quirky and gentle nature of "The Great Blue Yonder".
Publication Details:
- Publication Date: The book was published in 2001.
- Imprint: Macmillan Children's Books.
- Pages: 208 pages.
- ISBN: 9781529029772.
Overall, "The Great Blue Yonder" is a poignant and thought-provoking novel that explores the complexities of death and the afterlife through the eyes of a young protagonist. While it has received mixed reviews, it remains a significant work in the children's literature genre, particularly for its sensitive handling of difficult themes.