A Bridge to the Stars

By Henning Mankell

A book review by Ma Lorena Gorpido Sebastian

Henning Mankell was born in Stockholm in 1948, raised in a village in northern Sweden and now divides his time between Sweden and Maputo, Mozambique, where he works as the director of Teatro Avenida.Henning Mankell is a Swedish author who gained bestseller stardom with his series of crime novels featuring inspector Kurt Wallander.Internationally acclaimed author Henning Mankell has written numerous Kurt Wallander mysteries. The books have been published in 33 countries and consistently top the bestseller lists in Europe, receiving major literary prizes and generating numerous international film and television adaptations.
The book is written especially for children. Published by Andersen Press. Its national origin is in United Kingdom.
A bridge to the Stars written by Henning Mankell is about a 12 year old Joel lives with his father in the cold northern part of Sweden. At night he often sneaks out of his father's house to look for a lonely dog he has seen from his window. On the bridge across the icy river he starts a secret society and has adventures. But one night he discovers that his father's bed is also empty and will have to come terms with his fathers new found love. The harsh reality of Joel's world comes vividly to life and leaves the reader spellbound.

Henning Mankell is better known in England for his detective fiction, and A Bridge to the Stars has an element of the detective genre as Joel sets out to find the dog who will answer the questions he doesn’t yet understand. It is written in a style ideal for its audience (9-11 years), has an excellent, slightly off-beat story, and Joel exhibits a kind of imagination that many children will find familiar. Not only that, but Joel’s search says some touching and important things about growing up. During his night-time adventures he comes to understand the qualities that make for a civilised human being. He sees the humanity that his odd-ball and outcast neighbours possess. And he has to come to terms with his father’s new found love when he discovers his father’s bed is also empty at night.

A Bridge to the Stars is a compelling and charming read for adults and children alike. It is a good book to use for a discussion on citizenship, as it embraces individuality and acceptance of those who are deemed as different within the community. It is also a good source for a story – as children could really draw on their imaginations to delve into the strange and unexpected possibilities of night-time.

I thoroughly recommend reading this. An excellent book Mankell create.