Heaven Eyes
David Almond

Hodder Signature 2001

216p pbk $14.95

Heaven Eyes was written by David Almond, and published by Hodder Children's Books, in London, in 2000.  It is an adventure story, with a tinge of fantasy to it.

In this story, we are introduced to a girl named Erin Law, who lives in a home called Whitegates. She lives there because she has no parents. Her father - he was a sailor she had never known; her mother - she lived with Erin in a little house before she died.  Her two friends, who also live in Whitegates, are January and Moose, who don't have any parents either.

One day, after longing to escape from Whitegates, Erin, January and Moose sail away on a raft.  The journey on the river is extremely dangerous, but when they do come to a stop, they are surrounded by black, oily, sticky mud, called the Black Middens.  It is here where an unusual girl named Heaven Eyes finds them, and takes them back to her home.  Heaven Eyes lives in an abandoned place of teetering warehouses, collapsed walls and dark alley ways.  There she lives with her Grandpa and takes care of the three adventurers.  As the story goes on, many secrets unfold.  Heaven Eyes discovers that she used to have a family, but she has lost them at sea.  They had been sailing when a disaster struck.  Everyone was drowned except Heaven Eyes, whom Grandpa had found in the Black Middens.  Many other secrets unfold...

I would give this story a 9 out of 10.  It is an absorbing read, and I like it because it is interesting and mysterious all at once.  I definitely recommend this as a read-alone book, and I think this story is suitable for year 7 readers.   Heaven Eyes is quite deep, so it may be hard for some to understand. I think the cover of Heaven Eyes was well illustrated.  It looks mysterious, and it makes the reader want to enter the book immediately. 

Belinda, aged 12, Sydney, NSW