NEW
Written by Jana Maasik
Illustrations and design by Urmas Viik
Edited by Signe Kure
Published by Päike ja Pilv, 224 pages, paperback
Supported by the Cultural Endowment of Estonia
✓ The book is written in the first person
✓ Youth language is used
✓ The writing is concise
✓ Realistic story / contemporary fiction
✓ The events take place over a short period of time
✓ At the beginning of the book, Henk finds himself in a seemingly inescapable situation, and the sense of an approaching ending is present throughout
✓ Henk is not alone. He has friends, and he enjoys spending time with them at the skate ramp - doing skateboard tricks, listening to music etc.
✓ Henk and his friends can loosely be considered fans of subcultures such as:
- Hip-hop subculture or skate/street culture, MCing, DJing, street art, urban art
Luna, Merili, Iti, Mäks, Erik, Karla, Ralf, Robi, and Henk - all of them usually listen to hip-hop music; one of them creates graffiti art, and they are all active on the skate ramp.
ABOUT THE STORY:
The main character and first-person narrator of the book is fourteen-year-old Hendrik, known as Henk, whose life is overshadowed by his parents’ addiction problems. He is a boy who enjoys doing skateboard tricks with his friends at the skate ramp and, thanks to Alfred, has also developed an interest in gardening. Alfred is an elderly man who has cared for him for the past seven years, offering him friendship and a sense of home. When Alfred dies, Henk loses his greatest support and is left facing an uncertain future that may lead him into foster care.
CHOICES AND DECISIONS
Henk did not choose the circumstances he lived in. He did not choose his parents. He could not choose what he wore, or whether his clothes were clean or smelled. He could not always choose whether he could prepare for school the next day. On some days, he simply couldn’t - that was not his choice.
But he had already made several important decisions in his life:
✓ He decided that he does not want to be like his mother and father
✓ He decided to become truly good at something
✓ He does not give up
✓ He cares about his friends
✓ He does not want to go into foster care and leave everything behind
ONE EXCERPT
The skateboard drops in. I push off. My breathing shifts. And then there’s only the ramp, my worn board, and me. Every movement deliberate, muscle memory trained by hundreds of falls, pushing the edge of risk - like always when everything in my life starts to feel overwhelming. I pull off my best tricks. I do the “Henk series” and another line I haven’t even named yet. Everything works out amazingly well. I hear the guys’ approval and I know Iti is watching me. I tell myself I don’t care at all. Let her stare all she wants!
Early Praise
This is a book primarily aimed at young readers. I am considerably older myself, but from the very first page, it brought back memories of my own teenage years and the themes of that time, and there was quite a lot of recognition and nostalgia. At one point, I noticed that while reading, I kept shifting perspectives (probably subconsciously), trying to understand how a 15-year-old would read this book versus my current self.
I liked that the author uses youth slang, and to be honest, I even found myself occasionally googling different skateboarding tricks while reading. The book is written in a pleasant style - easy and smooth to read - and I would think that even restless young readers who tend to lose interest quickly could manage to read it through without difficulty.
Maarian
maarian.loeb • Bookstagram
I admire the book’s cover illustration and design. It would be quite difficult to come up with anything more eye-catching for a young reader! My fifth- and sixth-graders agree. Their choice of reading often starts with a book’s appearance... The likable Henk won me over right at the beginning of the book. I appreciated the boy’s determination, dignity, diligence, and especially the fact that the saying “the apple fell far from the tree” truly fits him. For his age, Henk’s mature character, along with his realistic thoughts and actions, made me deeply engaged in the story.
In a youth-oriented way, the book includes skateboarding terms and slang that will certainly be familiar to enthusiasts. Overall, despite its timeless depth, the story feels thoroughly modern and easy to imagine. Of course, the content and design of the book come together stylishly and enjoyably! I praise and recommend it even to those who have long left their teenage years behind!
Pille Piho
Teacher and book lover
Reading materials
✓Sample of one chapter in English & synopsis
✓Estonian edition
FIRST-PERSON BLURB (BACK COVER):
To teachers, parents, and all kinds of officials, I am Hendrik. My friends call me Henk. I’m fourteen years old, and I like Alfred’s garden. I also like doing skateboard tricks in the bowl. One official once said that I couldn’t live like a stray dog, waiting for random passersby to toss me a scrap of food. But he got that completely wrong. Nobody tosses scraps to stray dogs - they call the dog catchers. And it wasn’t passersby who helped me anyway. It was my friends.