Lisa Doucet Reviews Valerie Sherrard’s A Bend in the Breeze
A Bend in the Breeze
Valerie Sherrard
Cormorant Books/DCB
(Ages 9-12)
After several days at sea in a lifeboat, Pascale Chardon is relieved to finally land on the tiny island of TeJÉ where she is warmly welcomed by its residents. Pascale is their very first visitor and the islanders hope that she will prove to be the Long Awaited, the stranger whose arrival has been foretold.
According to legend, the Long Awaited will be able to tell the people of TeJÉ what their future holds … 17 days after their arrival. Pascale can’t believe she might truly be the one they have been waiting for. But as she makes friends and settles into the rhythms of daily life on the island, she begins to wonder, along with all the islanders, if it might be true. As the days pass, despite how much she grows to care for her new friends and neighbours, she yearns to return to her home and family.
With a fairytale-like quality, this whimsical tale offers gentle reflections on the importance of friendship, forgiveness and community. As Pascale gets to know the people of TeJÉ she witnesses their tremendous kindness and love for one another as well as many of their heartaches, fears and insecurities. If Pascale is the Long Awaited, the islanders know that it is imperative she find only peace and unity in their village.
Even though she sees evidence of imperfection in their midst, more importantly Pascale is struck by the ways in which they come together to support one another in difficult times, to offer comfort and to try to understand and forgive when mistakes are made. Sherrard has created a touching reminder that “your hearts create the world around you.”
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