One of his psychologists had told him he should be grateful to Penni and Steve. The shrink didn’t understand that they didn’t adopt him for him, but for themselves. But what the guy really didn’t understand was that it was impossible for Jaden to feel grateful, for anything ever. It wasn’t personal to Penni and Steve. Jaden had a distaste for parents in general. And he knew he wasn’t alone. There were hundreds, maybe thousands, of kids in America just like him—adopted when they were older, hating their new parents. He knew this because one of his psychologists or psychiatrists had said so. He couldn’t remember at the moment which doctor it was. So he pretty much was nothing special. I defy you not to shed a tear at this beautiful story... a touching and life-affirming read. * Prima * Without a doubt Mike Gayle's best book, and I've read them all, and its such a powerful but heartbreaking story,

He has a wonderful way of lifting the reader up while tugging at our heart strings at the same time. A lovely story about what family really means... (Fionnuala Kearney) Gayle has a profound talent for acute observations. He makes us care, pulls at our heartstrings then hits us with humour. And he doesn't disappoint with his latest offering * Sunday Post * It isn’t easy, it is heart-wrenching, but, oh, is it worth reading. I can’t recommend this book highly enough.‘ VineHalf a World Away follows the heartbreaking story of two siblings, Kerry and Noah, who are taken into care and live very different lives.

The story: Jaden's family is traveling to Kazakhstan to adopt another baby, and Jaden knows why: it's because he's such a failure as a son. He's got a whole bunch of terrible habits, but the worst of them is that he can't bring himself to love his adoptive parents, even after all these years. It's only after he meets toddler Dimash at the orphanage, and realizes he's the only one who cares enough to ever make a difference in the boy's life, that Jaden suddenly learns what it's like to care about someone else. Problem is, it doesn't look like it's going to make any difference, which is the worst feeling of all. There were six children in the family. I was number three and there wasn't a lot of money. We didn't have television and of course there was no such thing as a computer.Steve and Penni met eyes again. Penni turned all the way around. “Jaden, it’s just that Steve read an article saying the baby seat should be in the middle. Okay?” Jaden didn’t even answer. He couldn’t sit on a side. Period. “I won’t ride in the car anymore,” he said. “I’ll ride my bicycle everywhere.” He felt bitterness well up inside himself, moving up from his stomach to his mouth, and he gagged slightly. He knew he was overreacting, but he couldn’t help it. He burnt his teddy bear; he runs and runs obsessively; he steals; he lies, and he hoards food. Most tragically, he is unable to feel anything but anger and a blunting of emotion regarding the word "love." He believes that though his behaviors are abnormal, still these American people love him despite the fact that in his mind he is not lovable.

I do need to warn readers that this is an intensely emotional book, although beautifully written and uplifting in parts, it does give cause to have tissues close by but I did enjoy it and I would definitely read more by this author again. A tug at the heartstrings but funny, endearing and uplifting and a story I won't forget. An absolute must read!

Diaries & Calendars

Jaden knew it didn’t make sense, but he felt like if his real mother could have had electricity, if she could have only plugged in a light and turned it on, she wouldn’t have had to give him away. He’d told this to one of his former psychiatrists—a man whose name he couldn’t remember—and the psychiatrist had asked, “Why do you think that, Jaden?” There are many gems of wisdom in this book, including the fact that his parents are able to love unconditionally, even though their patience is tried to the limit with Jaden. And, there is incredible beauty as Jaden learns to love as he relates to Dimash, and, through his this special relationship grows to laugh and love. I really liked this incredibly moving story and although tremendously sad, the author knows how to convey very powerful emotions without depressing the reader. I loved Kerry and Noah/Jason, in fact all the characters were exceedingly well developed and a pleasure to engage with. This is the first contemporary fiction novel that I have read by Mike Gayle, and I absolutely loved it, despite the fact that I found myself emotionally wrung out from the experience. Kerry Hayes is in her early 40s, a single mom with young son, Kian, living on a tough and challenging London estate. She is a hardworking cleaner, determined to be a good role model for her son, and given where they live, she has her work cut out in steering Kian along a positive life path. Kian's father is the no hoper, Steve, not interested in his son, Kerry has no illusions where he is concerned, but it means that she and Kian are on their own in life. Her best friend, Jodi, from Milread Children's Home, is now living in the North East with her family, although the two of them remain close. The only other person that Kerry has loved unconditionally was her baby brother, Jason, who she cared for and looked after, before she was separated from him by a uncaring social services when they were taken away from their problematic mother, Mary. I am an adoptive mom who thinks this book should be required for any parent wanting to adopt internationally, because the challenges Jaden faces are not rare, but quite normal, and any adoption agency that claims it's rare is full of crap. I also think this book would an excellent addition to 3rd-6th grade reading lists alongside The Great Gilly Hopkins by katherine Patterson, as it gives a real glimpse into the heart of kids who've lost family and have to deal with the trauma of a new family on top of losing the first one.

I write picture books, novels for young kids and also novels for slightly older readers. I've done a book about writing and also a small amount of writing for television: Bananas in Pyjamas and Magic Mountain. International adoption, especially private adoptions (their agency had closed)can be challenging. But even without an agency -- they don't have a lawyer? For Jaden's adoption, too ... yes, birthdates on papers sometimes change. But four years for a child that age? (One of my daughters was said to be 8 but later turned out to, most likely, be about 10. But saying a four year old was a baby? I have seen some physical conditions approved for visas if the adopting parents understood what they were... but the US is very strict about intellectual issues. The other is adopted aged 2.5 and raised by a loving, wealthy white middle class family and eventually becomes a successful criminal barrister. Noah lives with his wife and daughter in Primrose Hill.Eleven-year-old Jaden is adopted, and he knows he’s an “epic fail.’ That’s why his family is traveling to Kazakhstan to adopt a new baby—to replace him, he’s sure. And he gets it. He is incapable of stopping his stealing, hoarding, lighting fires, aggressive running, and obsession with electricity. He knows his parents love him, but he feels...nothing. I was born in Young, a small town in south western NSW in 1950. After a few years we moved to Glen Innes, on the northern tablelands and then when I was ten we moved out west to Dubbo. We moved because my father was a schoolteacher and each change meant a promotion for him. With now her mother has passed away, she decides to find her brother, Noah Martineau who is a successful barrister, with a posh voice and a wife and daughter living in a big house. Kerry and Noah couldn't have had any more different upbringings if they tried, but yet there are a few similarities in their lives. He has a wonderful way of lifting the reader up while tugging at our heart strings at the same time. A lovely story about what family really means... -- Fionnuala Kearney