Changes

|title=Binny for Short

|author=Hilary McKay

|reviewer=Linda Lawlor

|publisher=Hodder Children's Books

|date=February 2013

|website=http://www.hilarymckay.co.uk

|video=

|summary=When Binny's father died, leaving the family bereft and very short of money, she sought comfort in the companionship of her exceedingly lively young dog. But Aunt Violet secretly got rid of Max, and even the fact that she later left her sea-side home to her family in her will can't persuade Binny to forgive the horrible old woman.

}}

It can be quite risky to start a book with what is almost the final scene, especially for younger readers. Prize-winning author Hilary McKay, however, writes with such a sure hand that by the time the end comes round for the second time everything has dovetailed beautifully and is yet, somehow, full of surprises. In fact, it is a sure bet that many readers will want to immediately return to the beginning and read the book again, just to see how she does it.

But this isn't in any way a sad or frightening book. Death is part of life, regrettable but nonetheless natural, and what the reader takes away from the story is a lasting impression of warmth, wit and good humour. There is an unhappy family in the book, but only because they haven't yet learned how to listen to each other, and Binny's mother and siblings demonstrate a close and cheerful affection which many readers will envy. There are problems, of course, but the author handles them with gentle delicacy, and she is always careful to show the funny side of every situation too. This book is optimistic, clever, beautifully written and very, very amusing. It really is a book you shouldn't miss.

{{commenthead}}