Synopses & Reviews
He thought I'd forged my mom's name on the slip. How stupid is that? On this thing Mom just made a kind of squiggly shape on the page. That jerk didn't even think about what he was saying, didn't even ask himself why her signature might be weird. He's one of those people who think illiteracy is like AIDS. It only exists in Africa.
--from Kiffe Kiffe Tomorrow
"A tale for anyone who has ever lived outside looking in, especially from that alien country called adolescence. A funny, heartfelt story from a wise guy who happens to be a girl. If you've ever fallen in love, if you've ever had your heart broken, this story is your story." -- Sandra Cisneros, author of THE HOUSE ON MANGO STREET
The Paradise projects are only a few metro stops from Paris, but here it's a whole different kind of France. Doria's father, the Beard, has headed back to their hometown in Morocco, leaving her and her mom to cope with their mektoub—their destiny—alone. They have a little help-- from a social worker sent by the city, a psychiatrist sent by the school, and a thug friend who recites Rimbaud.
It seems like fate’s dealt them an impossible hand, but Doria might still make a new life. She'll prove the projects aren't only about rap, soccer, and religious tension. She’ll take the Arabic word kif-kif (same old, same old) and mix it up with the French verb kiffer (to really like something). Now she has a whole new motto: KIFFE KIFFE TOMORROW.
"Moving and irreverent, sad and funny, full of rage and intelligence. [Guène's] characters are unforgettable, her voice fresh, and her book a delight." -- Laila Lalami, author of Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits
Faïza Guène, the child of Algerian immigrants, grew up in the public housing projects of Pantin, outside Paris. This is her first book.
Review
PRAISE FOR KIFFE KIFFE TOMORROW
"A light-hearted bonbon of a book. Not since director Mathieu Kassovitz's 1995 hit film Hate has there been such a compelling portrait of the Parisian suburbs. Doria [is] a volatile mix of adolescent insecurity, misguided bravado and tenderness."
-Newsweek International
"[Kiffe Kiffe Tomorrow] challenges the conventional wisdom that the suburbs are only dangerous, crime-infested wastelands where hatred runs deep and hope is nonexistent."
-The New York Times
"Rendered with tough defiance. [A] brash and bracing read." - Seattle Times
"This highly original story, told in an equally original voice, will be popular for as long as people read it." - curled up with a good book
"A feisty, invigorating debut. [F]unny, infuriating, and hopeful about young womanhood and cultural welter. A-" -- Entertainment Weekly
"Think of Doria on the same adolescent raft as Huck Finn and Holden Caulfield. A cunning wonder." - Harper's
"[K]udos for this sassy, spunky tale [with] the unforgettable voice. Doria has what it takes to storm any barricade." - Hartford-Courant
"Smart, upbeat. An empowering new voice transforms kif-kif-- same old, same old-- into kiffer, something to be crazy about." - Kirkus, starred review
"Moving and irreverent, sad and funny, full of rage and intelligence. Her voice is fresh, and her book a delight." - Laila Lalami
"[Doria is] as likable as Holden Caulfield or Prep’s Lee Fiora. Readers will cheer. Highly recommended." -- Library Journal, starred review
"[C]ompelling, revealing Guene to be a promising addition to the world's literary voices." - Miami Herald
"[I]nspired. [A] sharply drawn tale of a precocious adolescent. [T]he reader can't help cheering." - New York Times Book Review
"Guene keeps her narrative plunging onward, one amusing observation from Doria at a time. [A] promising debut." - Philadelphia Inquirer
"Exuberant, sophisticated teen talk. This small novel reads like a quiet celebration within a chaotic ghetto." - Publishers Weekly
"Remarkable. A Gallic version of 'White Teeth,' 'The Catcher in the Rye' and 'Bridget Jones's Diary.'"
- Salon
"[C]ompelling... reveals Guene to be a promising addition to the world's literary voices." - San Francisco Chronicle
"A tale for anyone who has ever lived outside looking in, especially from that alien country called adolescence." - Sandra Cisneros
"With bravado, humor, and a healthy dose of rage." - St. Petersburg Times
"Guene has a bright future ahead of her." - TimeOut Chicago
Review
"Guene has a bright future ahead of her."
Review
"With bravado, humor, and a healthy dose of rage."
Review
"[C]ompelling... reveals Guene to be a promising addition to the world's literary voices."
Review
"Think of Doria on the same adolescent raft as Huck Finn and Holden Caulfield. A cunning wonder."
Review
"A feisty, invigorating debut. [F]unny, infuriating, and hopeful about young womanhood and cultural welter. A-" -- Entertainment Weekly
Review
"[C]ompelling... reveals Guene to be a promising addition to the worlds literary voices."(San Francisco Chronicle)
Review
"[K]udos for this sassy, spunky tale [with] the unforgettable voice. Doria has what it takes to storm any barricade."
Review
"With bravado, humor, and a healthy dose of rage." (St. Petersburg Times)
Review
"Guene keeps her narrative plunging onward, one amusing observation from Doria at a time. [A] promising debut."
Review
"A tale for anyone who has ever lived outside looking in, especially from that alien country called adolescence."
Review
"Rendered with tough defiance. [A] brash and bracing read."
Review
"Smart, upbeat. An empowering new voice transforms kif-kif-- same old, same old-- into kiffer, something to be crazy about."
Review
PRAISE FOR KIFFE KIFFE TOMORROW
"A light-hearted bonbon of a book. Not since director Mathieu Kassovitz's 1995 hit film Hate has there been such a compelling portrait of the Parisian suburbs. Doria [is] a volatile mix of adolescent insecurity, misguided bravado and tenderness."
-NEWSWEEK INTERNATIONAL
"[Kiffe Kiffe Tomorrow] challenges the conventional wisdom that the suburbs are only dangerous, crime-infested wastelands where hatred runs deep and hope is nonexistent."
-THE NEW YORK TIMES
Review
"Moving and irreverent, sad and funny, full of rage and intelligence. Her voice is fresh, and her book a delight."
Review
"[K]udos for this sassy, spunky tale [with] the unforgettable voice. Doria has what it takes to storm any barricade."
Review
"Exuberant, sophisticated teen talk. This small novel reads like a quiet celebration within a chaotic ghetto."
Review
"Remarkable. A Gallic version of 'White Teeth,' 'The Catcher in the Rye' and 'Bridget Jones's Diary.' "
Review
"This highly original story, told in an equally original voice, will be popular for as long as people read it."
Review
"This this boys love letter to the world made me laugh and tremble all the way through.
Pigeon English is a triumph."
—Emma Donoghue, author of Room
"Continually surprising and endearing ... Theres a sweetness here thats irresistible."
—Washington Post
"[A] work of deep sympathy and imagination."
—Boston Globe
"Enchanting."
—Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
"Winning [and] ingenious. . . Pigeon English packs a wallop."
—Cleveland Plain Dealer
"Intelligent, observant."
—The New Yorker
"Since Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys, there have been certain rules observed when children play detective. Stephen Kelman throws them all out ... The mystery is secondary to the pleasures of listening to Harri."
—Christian Science Monitor
"In turns funny and tragic ... Its message is universal."
—Huffington Post
"If your patrons liked Roddy Doyles Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha and if they rooted for Jamal Malik in Slumdog Millionaire, they will love Harri Opuku."
—Library Journal, starred review
"Pigeon English is a book to fall in love with: a funny book, a true book, a shattering book ... If you loved Mark Haddons The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time or Emma Donoghues Man Booker-shortlisted Room, youll love this book too."
—The Times (UK)
"Adapting the narrative voice of Holden Caulfield from J. D. Salingers The Catcher In The Rye ... Pigeon English convincingly evokes life on the edge ... The humour, the resilience, the sheer ebullience of its narrator—a hero for our times—should ensure the book becomes, deservedly, a classic."
—Mail on Sunday (UK)
"This exuberant novel sparkles with wonder and delight ... A vivid snapshot of contemporary urban childhood, its Harris voice, brilliantly captured and entirely convincing, which makes this book such a joy."
—Daily Mail (UK)
"Filled with energy, humour and compassion, Pigeon English is a gut-wrenchingly sad novel that makes you laugh out loud."
—Guardian (UK)
"Pigeon English is a fascinating look at a culture pushed to the margins by a nations economic and empathic indifference; Harri is our immediately likable tour guide."
—Time Out Chicago
"Kelmans [debut] has a powerful story, a pacy plot and engaging characters. It paints a vivid portrait with honesty, sympathy and wit . . . It is horrifying, tender and funny . . . Pigeon English will be read by millions . . . Parents who do their childrens homework are in for a treat."
—Telegraph (UK)
"Writing in a childs voice is always a high-wire act . . . Those who have pulled it off range from J.D. Salinger to Emma Donoghue. Kelman takes it one step further . . . The result is a tour de force . . . Funny and poignant, Pigeon English is fired with an uncontainable spirit, a rare distillate of boyhood optimism and adult wisdom."
—Macleans (Canada)
"Kelmans command of Harrisons innocent all-seeing eyes makes for an engaging read."
—The Daily Beast
"Funny and poignant . . . What might be described as Diary of a Wimpy Kid meets Trainspotting . . . Undeniable."
—Toronto Star (Canada)
"Like Harper Lees Scout Finch and Miriam Toews Thebes Troutman, Stephen Kelmans Harri is an original who seems to breathe real oxygen. Watching Harris exploits will make a reader want to laugh, marvel and cheer, but also cringe in fear . . . To be moved to care this deeply for a fictional character is a rare experience . . . The effect is one of profound transcendence."
—Winnipeg Free Press (Canada)
"Told with humour, despite the gritty subject matter and setting . . . Pigeon English charms its way into some hard places."
—Financial Times (UK)
"Harris joie de vivre is infectious and his voice simultaneously charming and haunting—similar to the narrators of Emma Donoghues Room or Mark Haddons The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. And much like those books, Pigeon English is a story for adults."
—BookPage
"Authentic and audacious . . . Harri is . . .tantalisingly sympathetic."
—Scotsman (UK)
"Imaginative, gut-wrenching and powerful . . . Its a window on a world many of us will never experience (thankfully), and it is beautifully and intelligently written."
—Edmonton Journal (Canada)
"A charming narrative voice energizes this lively first novel . . . festooned with vivid, funny locutions . . . Theres just no resisting the kid . . . his embryonic wit, street smarts and survival instincts are about as hutious as it gets."
—Kirkus
"Hilarious, touching and terrifying by turns . . . In his evocation of the dreaming that brings many immigrants to cities all over the world and the danger and despair they face there, Kelman has crafted a book that soars."
—Chronicle Herald (Canada)
"Laced with humour, innocence and authenticity."
—The Independent (UK)
"Prepare to fall in love with Harri . . . [A] fresh, funny and ultimately moving story of 11-year-old Ghanaian immigrant to London."
—Shelf Awareness, starred review
"There is an irrepressible joy in Harri . . . Harri is a hero for all ages . . . He worms his way into your affections and leaves you breathless . . . Pigeon English is a mesmerizing tale of naïveté and discovery that has us rooting on the sidelines, hoping that Harri will triumph."
—The Rover (Canada)
"The strength of this debut novel lies in Harris voice . . . Teens will appreciate Harris winning narration, his childs-eye view of adult situations, and the rising tension when playing detective becomes a high-stakes matter."
—School Library Journal, Adult Books 4 Teens
"Pigeon English has already been hailed as a ‘brilliant and ‘deeply moving depiction of urban life . . . Far from being a political tract, however, Kelman's book uses Harri to convey a straightforward message about how good can triumph, whatever the odds."
—London Evening Standard (UK)
"Well-tuned . . . crisp and mirthful."
—Publishers Weekly
"Opokus plight is both heart-warming and heartbreaking, as his actions unwittingly speed the inevitable cruel crash of manhood into his quietly contented world."
—The List (UK), 4 out of 5 stars
"A book both chilling and charming . . . A coming-of age tale that feels achingly accurate."
—Globe and Mail (Canada)
"A startingly assured piece of work [with] . . . a level of sensitivity and craftsmanship which few crime novelists can offer. What strikes the reader all the way through is the superb control with which Kelman writes . . . Kelman is a writer to watch."
—Mystery Scene
"Pigeon English introduces readers to a Dickensian London circa multicultural now. A violent and riveting coming of age story, Stephen Kelmans debut novel also contains well-timed moments of comedy, affecting family drama, and just enough hopefulness."
—Vancouver Sun (Canada)
"A powerful and impressive novel . . . Kelman knows the world of boys—their language, their humour, their thoughts—and Harris voice is dazzlingly authentic."
—Clare Morrall, author of the Booker-shortlisted Astonishing Splashes of Colour and The Man Who Disappeared
"Rich with lingo, energy, and occasional terror, Pigeon English is a stark and funny look at life in Londons rough housing projects. After another hutious gangland chooking, eleven-year-old Harri is on the case, tracking the murderer for donkey hours while impressing Poppy with his bo-styles. A compelling anatomy of our inner cities."
—Tony DSouza, author of Whiteman and Mule
Synopsis
He thought I'd forged my mom's name on the slip. How stupid is that? On this thing Mom just made a kind of squiggly shape on the page. That jerk didn't even think about what he was saying, didn't even ask himself why her signature might be weird. He's one of those people who think illiteracy is like AIDS. It only exists in Africa.
--from Kiffe Kiffe Tomorrow
Doria is a fifteen-year-old Muslim French girl living in the infamous Paradise projects of suburban Paris and suffering all the usual problems: an overworked mother, an absent father, an inability to understand boys. She endures a parade of social workers with names like Madame Thingamajig and Monsieur Whosawhatsit. She is blindsided by her first kiss--stolen by a geeky boy with fat lips. Because she's surrounded by drugs, crime, and racism, you'd expect hers to be a tale of endless tragedy. But Doria isn't the complaining type. She'll make the best of her mektoub, or "destiny," reminding us that no matter our troubles, we all have parts to play in our fate. Take the Arab phrase kif-kif--"same-old, same-old"--and turn it into a French phrase, kiffe kiffe: Things are getting better all the time.
Disarmingly funny and fresh, Kiffe Kiffe Tomorrow is a hopeful, wise, and intimate portrait of Arab immigrant life.
Synopsis
He thought I'd forged my mom's name on the slip. How stupid is that? On this thing Mom just made a kind of squiggly shape on the page. That jerk didn't even think about what he was saying, didn't even ask himself why her signature might be weird. He's one of those people who think illiteracy is like AIDS. It only exists in Africa.
--from Kiffe Kiffe Tomorrow
A tale for anyone who has ever lived outside looking in, especially from that alien country called adolescence. A funny, heartfelt story from a wise guy who happens to be a girl. If you've ever fallen in love, if you've ever had your heart broken, this story is your story. -- Sandra Cisneros, author of THE HOUSE ON MANGO STREET
The Paradise projects are only a few metro stops from Paris, but here it's a whole different kind of France. Doria's father, the Beard, has headed back to their hometown in Morocco, leaving her and her mom to cope with their mektoub--their destiny--alone. They have a little help-- from a social worker sent by the city, a psychiatrist sent by the school, and a thug friend who recites Rimbaud.
It seems like fate's dealt them an impossible hand, but Doria might still make a new life. She'll prove the projects aren't only about rap, soccer, and religious tension. She'll take the Arabic word kif-kif (same old, same old) and mix it up with the French verb kiffer (to really like something). Now she has a whole new motto: KIFFE KIFFE TOMORROW.
Moving and irreverent, sad and funny, full of rage and intelligence. Guene's characters are unforgettable, her voice fresh, and her book a delight. -- Laila Lalami, author of Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits
Faiza Guene, the child ofAlgerian immigrants, grew up in the public housing projects of Pantin, outside Paris. This is her first book.
Synopsis
This hilarious and heartwrenching novel follows eleven-year-old Harri Opuku, recently emigrated from Ghana to the rough housing projects of London, as he tries to navigate inner-city life. See what makes our good-hearted protagonist dope-fine, become acquainted with his bo-styles, and find yourself wanting this touching debut to last donkey hours.
Synopsis
"Intelligent, observant." —
The New Yorker"If your patrons liked Roddy Doyles Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha and if they rooted for Jamal Malik in Slumdog Millionaire, they will love Harri Opoku." —Library Journal, starred review
"In turns funny and tragic . . . Its message is universal." -Huffington Post
Advise yourself! Jump into Pigeon English and experience the jubilant, infectious voice of Harrison Opoku—a boy awed by the city, obsessed with gummy candy, a friend to everyone he meets. See why he is bo-styles. How being the fastest runner in Year 7 makes him dope-fine. And how crazy things get when Harri and his best friend launch their own investigation into the murder of a classmate and one of the Dell Farm Crews hutious criminals feels them closing in on him. Youll want this book to last donkey hours, and youll see why Harri is truly a “hero for our times.”*
"Like Room . . . and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time . . . Pigeon English is a novel for adults told in the remarkable voice of a child. In this fine company, Kelman's novel stands out." —Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
"Since Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys, there have been certain rules observed when children play detective. Stephen Kelman throws them all out." —Christian Science Monitor
About the Author
Stephen Kelman grew up in the housing projects of Luton, England. He has worked as a careworker, a warehouse operative, in marketing, and in local government administration.
Pigeon English was shortlisted for the Man Booker and Desmond Elliot prizes and was named a “best first novel of 2011”* in his native England; it has been published in twenty countries.
*Waterstones bookstore