My Brother Johnny

My Brother Johnny

by Francesco D’Adamo, translated by Sian Williams

Shortlisted for the Marsh Award for Children’s Literature in Translation. D’Adamo won the 2023 Best Writer Hans Christian Andersen Award.

About the book:

Johnny is a young airman who’s flown dozens of missions. When he comes home from the war, his family and friends greet him as a hero. But Johnny doesn’t feel like a hero. He’s sick at the thought of the destruction he’s caused to people in the villages over there. His sister wants to know what’s wrong with him? Why is he doing this? And when he sets up an anti-war protest in the centre of town, nobody wants to listen…

…Until the war comes home to them, that is.

Reviews

“… provocative, relevant, powerful and moving fiction.” Chris Brown, The School Librarian Magazine

“Some stories need to be written, and deserve to be read all over the world. My Brother Johnny is one of these.” Nicolette Jones, The Sunday Times

“A strong coming-of-age story – with an eerie whisper of mystery and foreboding.” Caroline Horn, The Bookseller

“D’Adamo’s prose is straightforward, almost reportorial; he chooses hauntingly poetic images… D’Adamo pays fitting respect to Iqbal’s name and bravery
with this eye-opening, genuinely touching novel.”  – Publishers Weekly

About the author

Francesco D’Adamo was born in Milan in 1949, where he still lives and works. He combines the activities of teacher, journalist and writer. He was one of the forerunners of the genre of the New Italian Noir. He made his debut in the field of literature for the younger readers with the book Lupo Omega, shortlisted for several prestigious book awards. His book Storia di Iqbal has been published to great acclaim in the USA. He is an expert in pedagogics and youth studies. His books have been widely translated. Two of his children’s novels, My Brother Johnny and Iqbal, published in the UK, have received much critical acclaim, winning him the New York Christopher Award for Adolescents and the cento Prize in Italy. In 2004 he also won the International Reading Association Teachers’ choices Booklist Prize. Oh, Freedom was awarded the Premio Asti D’Appello Junior (2016). Other awards include ALA Notable Children’s Books CBC/NCSS Notable, Social Studies Trade Book, Charlotte Award, Suggested Reading List (NY), Christopher Award, Great Stone Face Book Award, Master List (NH), Iowa Teen Award, Master List IRA Teachers’ Choices Texas Lone Star Reading List.

D’Adamo won the 2023 Best Writer of Children’s Literature Hans Christian Andersen Award.