A Different Kind of Freedom: A Romani Story (Voices #7)
The latest book in the Voices series, introducing diverse viewpoints into children’s publishing, tells the story of a Romani boy with a passion for football, set in the early 20th century.
Lijah is a Romani child of a travelling family temporarily camped in Sheffield. His Mam insists times are changing and he should attend school and study ‘Gorja learning’ – reading, writing and arithmetic, but Lijah hates being indoors all day and is bullied by the other boys. One thing he is fascinated by is football – a ‘dinlos [fools’] game’, his father calls it. Romani don’t play football. But Lijah has skills and finds acceptance easier once he is scoring goals. Soon football is the only thing he cares about. Lijah and his father are set on a collision course. The advent of a real-life, though controversial, sporting hero, Rab Howell, who has played for both Sheffield United and England, complicates things. Can Lijah remain fully Romani whilst struggling to win through to play football professionally? And will the Gorja footballing community ever fully welcome him in?
This is an easy-to-read story with a reflective pace and an inclusive and optimistic message. Its charm lies in its vivid depiction of a travelling family’s life, history and feelings. It is realistic and beautifully detailed, and the reader can feel they too are at home tatting door-to-door, listening to stories around a camp-fire and taking care of the animals: horses, dogs, goats and bantam chickens, ‘smaller and more colourful than most hens, and bred to travel’.
The text is scattered with Romani words, used in a context that makes them easy to understand, though a helpful glossary is included. A warm and convincing read for children of 10 – 14, especially any boy or girl interested in football.
