Nine Open Arms

Twelve-year-old Fing narrates the adventure of her family's 1937 move to the house at the end of Sjlammbams Sahara, in a fictitious Dutch town based on Lindelauf's childhood home. Initiated by yet another business venture (this time, cigar-making) launched by Fing's ever-optimistic father, whose mottos include "First believe, then see," and "the opposite of worrying," the family's latest move brings Fing's four older brothers, two younger sisters (dramatic Muulke and timid Jess), dreamy father, and gruff, swivel-eyed, story-telling grandmother, Oma Mei, into a house that "seemed to be bursting with voices, quarrels, footsteps, squeaking doors, creaking windows," peculiarities, and secrets. Strong female personalities include the long-dead "Nienevee from Outside the Walls," whose unfortunate son, the button-eating Oompah, still haunts the town fringes and pulls the family's heartstrings. Lindelauf's masterful rendering of fraught yet loving sisterly ties, snappy dialogue, graveyard mysteries, and "traces of a tragical tragedy" from generations past combine to humorous and poignant effect in this gripping tale of eclectic families and inveterate wanderers in search of a welcoming home. Ages 9-up. (June)

Copyright 2014 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Gr 5-8--The Boon family is down on their luck when they move into a leaky old house on the edge of town. Fing and her sisters sense the house and adjacent cemetery have a macabre past, and they defy their strong-tongued grandmother to explore the dank cellar and curious hole in the hedge. Between the mysterious house, a spitfire sister, schoolyard bullying, and their father's latest bumbling get-rich-quick scheme, nothing goes according to any sort of predictable plan--either for the Boons or readers who will be drawn into their story. The translation from the original Dutch is fluid with nuanced language and tone, allowing kids to inhabit a world at once strange, engaging, and richly historical. A fine addition for large collections.--Amy Koester, St. Charles City-County Library District, Wentzville, MO

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

A 2015 Mildred L. Batchelder Honor Book

"Every element of the tale has a purpose, and in the end, the multiple layers of past and present separate and come together in surprising, often discomfiting twists and turns. . . A challenging and entirely unique Dutch import." — STARRED REVIEW, Kirkus Reviews

"Nine Open Arms is welcome proof that young adult publishers recognise the value of translated fiction, too. Originally published in 2003, Nine Open Arms has won several esteemed awards in its native Holland." — Emily Gale, Readings

"Delightfully wild and incredibly quirky, this book is one of a kind. . . Beautifully written, magnificently crafted, this Dutch novel is like nothing you have read before." — Waking Brain Cells

"Lindelauf's masterful rendering of fraught yet loving sisterly ties, snappy dialogue, graveyard mysteries, and "traces of a tragical tragedy" from generations past combine to humorous and poignant effect in this gripping tale of eclectic families and inveterate wanderers in search of a welcoming home." — STARRED REVIEW, Publishers Weekly

"A family of nine moves into the titular rundown brick house in 1930s Holland and tries to figure out its mysteries, including the tombstone in the cellar, a forbidden room, and the homeless man who moves into the hedge." — The Horn Book

"Ultimately, this is a story about storytelling, and it's sure to appeal to readers who dote on Roald Dahl or Polly Horvath and are willing to go further abroad." — Francisca Goldsmith, Booklist