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Molly and Pim and the Millions of Stars by Martine Murray
Judges' Comments
Molly’s unconventional world is framed by her mother’s interest in herbs and their healing powers, and a house that resembles the interior of a gypsy caravan. She is quietly envious of her best friend Ellen and the trappings of normality that shape Ellen’s life. Molly longs for what she considers a normal life with its packaging, brightness and predictability. At the same time, she becomes increasingly intrigued by Pim, a boy who is entirely comfortable being an enigmatic outsider, and who has a keen and open curiosity about both the real world and events unexplained and unexplainable.
Martine Murray’s observations of childhood — friendships, family structures and the conflicting emotions when one strives to be part of a group yet maintain deeper loyalties — are warmly and finely drawn. There are vivid yet economic turns of phrase that bring the characters and situations to life. And when disaster strikes, the reader is carried effortlessly from what could be considered real, to something quite wonderful and otherworldly — where family and friendship triumph over all else.