A lovely, well handled book about an unusual topic that children will be interested in. The characters are endearing and engaging and I will recommend to top primary students and year 7 often.

Few authors can tell a tale of children's trauma and mental turmoil with as much compassion and truth as Cath Howe. My Life on Fire is, like her other works, exceptional in looking at the heavy weights some children have to bear and the way in which they deal with them. After losing everything she owns in a house fire, Ren finds a destructive way to rebuild her sense of self - stealing the important bits of other people's lives, Will she find a way back to herself? And how will her talkative new friend, Caspar, help her? I found myself moved to tears by Ren's plight and her desperation to rebuild her life, even as she knows that her new hobby isn't really helping anyone, least of all herself. A moving, thought-provoking read about what it can feel like when your life just disappears overnight.

When Ren's family home burns down, she has to move with her family to Gran's house, with no possessions of her own. When a school art project asks her to create her life in a box, she realises that, unlike all of her classmates, she has nothing to put in. Other people's possessions become tempting, and that temptation proves hard to resist...

Caspar loves the life in a box project. When he starts spending more time with Ren, due to her Gran living near him, he comes to realise that all is not right in her world. Can he help her to come to terms with what is happening?

Told from the dual perspectives of Ren and Caspar, Cath Howe has once again captured the emotions of children as they try to navigate difficult times in their lives.

A great book for upper key stage 2.

When Ren loses her home in a fire, she goes to stay with her gran. While there she overhears her parents talking to each other and on the phone about things she doesn’t fully understand but that make her wonder whether she’ll ever have a place to call home again, especially when it feels that gran doesn’t really want them there. Back at school, Caspar is excited about an art project, yet when things start to go missing he worries that there’s a thief on the loose. Sensitively told from the point of view of both our main characters. My Life on Fire gives the reader a look into the world of a young person who is lost and feels they have nothing, and the friend who wants to help them. As a reader, I really felt for both characters, thrust into situations that hopefully few children will ever face.
This would be a great book to use to discuss empathy and compassion and recognising that we cannot always know what is going on in others’ lives unless they choose to share it.

When Ren’s family lose their house in a fire, everything changes. They need to move in with their gran, and mum and dad seem to be forever working. A school project entitled “my life in a box” couldn’t have come at a worse time as Ren realises she has absolutely nothing to put in it.

Ren starts gathering objects in an attempt to feel “normal” again. This story delicately touches on Ren’s psychological state following the loss of everything she hold dear. Through coming to terms with the loss of the house, she realises that the things she holds dear is not ‘stuff’ but the people around her.

I’ve never read a children’s book on this subject before so it was a refreshing change. The author handled the subject matter sensitively and did a great job at drawing out the personalities of each of the main characters. I couldn’t help but liken Caspar to one of the boys I teach!

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I haven’t read any of Cath Howe’s earlier books but was interested in the fact that this dealt with topics that you don’t often see in middle grade books. I will certainly be reading them now.
I loved this book! The dual narrative was appealing as it showed both the emotions of the perpetrator of the thefts and the perspective of someone from the outside. I found the character of Casper to be adorable (if a little frustrating) and felt that the story sensitively deals with many important issues and themes, such as loss, kleptomania, and trauma. I will definitely be recommending it to our KS3 students (and making sure that there is a copy in the school library.)

When Ren’s home burns down in a fire, her whole life is turned upside down. She has lost everything, including all her precious collectibles. After a brief spell of living in a B&B with a rat, they end up at Grandma’s but life there is not easy. Even going back to school is difficult as Ren discovers her class are doing a new project called ‘My Life in a Box’. But how can she do the project when she has nothing of her own to put in her box? She begins to notice how much other people have. Surely they won’t miss just one thing…?

Cath Howe’s latest story is just fantastic. I loved the dual narrative between Ren and her classmate, Casper. The children’s voices are captured perfectly and often provide light relief, in particular some of the exchanges between Ren and her little brother, Petie.

The story sensitively navigates many important issues and themes, such as loss, kleptomania and trauma. It is a must read for 9+ readers and I will be heartily recommending it to my pupils.

My life on fire
By Cath Howe
Published by Nosy Crow Ltd

Cath Howe has written a tense, new page-turning story that sensitively deals with themes of family trauma, upheaval and kleptomania. Full of difficulties, emotions and decisions, you won’t want to put it down.

Ren's family lose their home in a fire. So living with her grandmother, things are different, difficult and a bit tense.
Not only do the family find themselves having to adapt in someone else’s home, they have nothing left: no clothes, no belongings, nothing.

Ren has lost her collection of things; her brother has lost his little bear and they are both hurting and inconsolable. So Ren starts replacing things with other people's possessions. Yes - stealing! They've lost everything and everyone else has loads of stuff, so taking a little bit of someone else’s won’t matter. Or will it?

But getting caught wasn’t part of the scheme and now she has to strike a terrifying deal to avoid discovery.

By the bestselling author of Ella on the Outside, Cath Howe keeps you on the edge of your seat wanting to understand, wanting to discover, wanting closure about how Ren will untangle this mess she is in.

Joanne Bardgett - teacher of littlies, lover of Children’s literature.

#Netgalley
#waterstones
#CathHowe

I have enjoyed Cath Howe's previous books but this one really caught my attention with it covering the issue of Kleptomania. A solid middle grade read, the story takes us through the loss of a family home from a fire and the difficulties it causes for the family. The story is told from two different viewpoints- the main character (who starts stealing) and a classmate, this helps you see the effect it has on those affected. It does give the reader a good understanding of why someone might start to do bad things and how they might feel about it too.

I read Ella on the Outside a while ago and found Cath Home’s writing utterly compelling; dealing with highly sensitive matters in a way that is accessible and understandable to the middle grade reader. I was really pleased to be sent an e-arc of Howe’s latest offering by @netgalley and @nosycrow - thank you.

🔥The blurb…
Ren's family lose their home in a fire. They're living with her grandmother now and things are a bit tense.
Ren lost her collection of things, her clothes; her brother lost his little bear and is inconsolable. So Ren starts replacing things with other people's possessions. They've got loads of stuff, after all.
But she gets caught and has to strike a terrifying deal to avoid detection...

This book did not disappoint - I raced through it! It is an engaging story that deals with the subjects of family upheaval and kleptomania, but in a sensitive, compassionate and blame-free way.

I love how Cath Howe just ‘gets’ children and this is shown in her writing and the authenticity of her characters. She captures their personalities, quirks, interactions and feelings perfectly - they are totally believable.

I love the two person narration throughout the story; allowing the story to move quickly and the reader to gain an insight into the situation from different perspectives.

Definitely a book I’ll be recommending to the children in my class.

Firstly I read my first Cath Howe book last summer Not My Fault, followed quickly by Ella on the Outside then The Insiders. This is absolutely as good as those books were. I love the fat that the story bounces between the two narrators, In this case Ren and Caspar.

Ren and her Mum, Dad and brother Petie arrive home from a evening at a friend's to find their house totally on fire and the fire brigade saying that it can't be saved. At least they are ok. The first night they have some donated pyjamas and have to stay in a B&B. The next day they go to Gran's, but Ren and Petie have to stay in Gran's spare room while Mum and Dad are in a caravan on the drive.

Gran's house isn't easy: there are lots of rules. Petie gets upset quite a lot at night and Ren tells him stories about Mr Softie, Petie's beloved teddy who has perished in the fire. When they are brought a small box of things the firemen have salvaged, there is nothing of Ren's. She hides the old fire scorched biscuit tin in Dad's old uni trunk on Gran's landing. School isn't easy either, her class project is to make "My Life in a Box" but Ren realises she has no life, nothing of hers, no clothes, no photos, no drawings, no toys, no books...

Ren no longer thinks she is lucky to be alive...she is sad and cross. Mum and Dad are too busy to talk to them, what with their business and teh insurance company details. Ren hears snatches of conversation which worry her even more. But nobody discusses anything with her, they don't have time. She realises everyone else has things, that maybe they don't really need.....do they? Is this going to make Ren happy? One night Petie asks for a Mr Softie story...but Ren is upset and angry and says he burnt in the fire. Petie is really upset.

Caspar is the child in class that the others find annoying but he lives near Ren's gran so his dad and Gran decide to share getting the children to school. Caspar becomes a friend, who stays at Gran's after school until his Dad picks him up. He cannot believe that someone at school is taking things - it's theft! One day Gran says Caspar and Petie can play badminton in the garden. She send him to look for rackets in Dad's trunk - and he sees the tin and lifts the lid!

What will happen? Will Caspar keep Ren's secret? Can he help her?

Absolutely loved the story. This must be every parents nightmare....what would we do without all our belongings? Could we hold our family together?

Written from two points of view this is an insightful story showing different perspectives. I loved Caspar with his black and white take on things, he was appealing, frustrating, lovable and entertaining all in one. A fabulous story full of emotion, family and relationships.

My 8 year old daughter absolutely loved this book. Ren and Casper are two of the best characters she has read in ages. She really enjoyed the alternative chapters told from both of their perspectives and she loved how determined Casper was to help Ren and that even though it took a while, Ren eventually listens to Casper.
She loved the themes and messaging in this book and how its never too late to do the right thing.

This was her first time reading Cath Howe's writing and she loved it and is looking forward to reading more her of her others and reserved several in in the library. We will purchase a copy of My Life on Fire when its published , thank you for the opportunity to read this one.

I enjoyed this book and what it had to say about family, belonging and trauma. Lovely characters who I enjoyed getting to know

My life on fire by Cath Howe

A new book by Cath Howe is a very welcome experience.. and this new book did not disappoint. I loved it and unlike her other books, this one did not make me cry!!
Ren lives with the mum, dad and little brother, and on return from a day at school and find that the family home is on fire and cannot be saved.. there is nothing left.. no toys, no books, no photographs.. Rens family move into her grandmother's house, but nothing is the same, her grandmas house runs differently to hers and her mum and dad are busy with the insurance people and with their business, trying to keep afloat after the devastating fire. all this is stressing Ren and she takes to stealing to feel something again.

Enter Caspar, an inquisitive boy in her class, circumstances have put them together and he finds out about all the items that Ren has stolen and concocts a plan to help her make things right..

This is a brilliant book and shows the pressures that Ren is under, she takes on a lot for a child and the book is perfect for showing you how Ren copes, it describes her thoughts and feeling and even though we know what Ren is done is wrong, you completely sympathise with her and beg an adult to help her.

I loved Caspar, he questioned everything and just wanted to know why, he really is an innocent.

I love Cath Howe and will read any book that she write.. she is a brilliant writer, always describing the thoughts and feelings of children especially when things go wrong, she is a very tender writer.

#MyLifeonFire #NetGalley #stealing #Ren #Casper