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‘We need the literature of other countries to expand our
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diminished, we are starved’
(The Times, Magnus Linklater 29/06/05)

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Title: Ape Star (The)

Author: Frida Nilsson

Translator: Julia Marshall

Illustrator:

Publisher: Gecko Press

Date Published: 2022

Format: Paperback

Genre:

Book Category: Fiction

Age Range: 6-8

Original Title: First published in Swedish as Apstjarnan, Natur & Kultur, Sweden, 2008

Country of Origin: Sweden

Ape Star (The)

by Frida Nilsson
Age Range: 6-8

“When I was nine, I was adopted by a gorilla. I didn’t ask to be but I was”, narrator Jonna tells us in the opening paragraph of The Ape Star. Jonna lives at Renfanan orphanage and like the other 50 children she dreams of being adopted by a well-dressed mother who smells of perfume but when an old dirty and battered Volvo pulls up and a gorilla gets out, everyone is stunned. Surely their officious manager Gerd won’t allow a gorilla to adopt a child? To Jonna’s horror, Gorilla chooses her! Jonna’s new home is a scrapyard full to brimming with junk. At first, she wants to run away resisting Gorilla’s attempts at befriending her, because Jonna is ashamed of how Gorilla looks and behaves and doesn’t want to be seen with her.

Gradually though, Jonna and the book-loving Gorilla start to get along as they share fried egg breakfasts, she learns to ride a bike and drive the car and becomes an asset in the business with her clever plans for haggling. Jonna’s new life begins to suit her and soon she can’t think of anywhere else she would rather be, that is until Tord Fjordmark, an unpleasant man from the council, threatens to send her back to the orphanage.

Award-winning Swedish author Frida Nilsson has written a charming and heart-warming chapter book, translated by Julia Marshall. This unconventional story, full of gentle humour both in the dialogue and characterisation, explores adoption, friendship, prejudice, injustice and seeing things from a different perspective while dealing with the feelings of being an outsider.

Jonna and Gorilla are two powerful characters that know their own mind and are determined to find a way to live how they want to despite the obstacles that are put in their way. A lovely, uplifting story.

The Ape Star was first published in Sweden in 2005 and has been translated into many languages since then. This new edition in English features illustrations from the feature film by LEE Films. Other Nilsson titles are Ice Sea Pirates and Hattie.

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