Distance Between Me and the Cherry Tree
'A simply told, bitter-sweet story, with a powerful poetic message' - Jacqueline Wilson
Nominated for the CILIP CARNEGIE MEDAL 2019 and the IBBY Honour List 2020. A novel for all ages about a young girl losing her sight, inspired by the author's own life story. For fans of Wonder, The Little Prince and The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly
Mafalda is a nine-year-old girl who knows one thing: some time in the next six months her sight will fail completely.
Can Mafalda find a way through a seemingly dark future and still go to school, play football and look after her beloved cat? With the help of her family, and her friends, Mafalda needs to discover the things that will be important to her when her sight has failed.
A moving, empowering tale of courage and determination that will inspire young and old.
Paola Peretti (Author)
Paola Peretti is Italian and was born in the province of Verona, where she still lives today. She studied literature and philosophy and graduated in publishing and journalism in 2011 with a thesis on gender discrimination in literature. Between 2015 and 2016 she attended the Palomar School of creative writing in Rovigo. During and after her studies she worked as a waitress, bartender, baby sitter and teacher, while writing articles for the local newspaper.
Fifteen years ago, she discovered that she was affected by a rare genetic illness called Stargadt Disease which causes progressive vision loss, and eventually blindness. There is no cure to date.
She is currently teaching Italian to immigrant children from Senegal, Nigeria, China, Romania, India, Pakistan, Brazil, Moldova and Russia.
The Distance Between Me and the Cherry Tree is her first novel.
Denise Muir (Translator)
Denise Muir has been translating from Italian to English since1998 and in 2014 published her first short story translation. Sincethen she has published picture and educational books with Italianpublishers, championed Italian children's novels and publisheda YA novel with Barrington Stoke's Bucket List. Denise writes ablog about inclusive children's books, works with local librariesto promote reading in the community, performs as a storytellerin Italian and English, and collaborates with the Italian Children'sWriters Association, Outside In World, small Italian independentpresses and a literary agency publishing strong voices for youngreaders.Denise divides her time between Edinburgh and Abruzzo, Italy.