The Hidden Story of Estie Noor
For ages 9+
Leaving behind a horrendous experience of racism by her teacher in her school, Estie travels north to Scotland where she finds her truth, acceptance, love, family and community… and an exciting mystery to solve!
By Nadine Aisha Jassat, illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat (Orion Children’s Books)
“If you’re reading this now, then it means that time has come: to be brave. To expose the crime, and the truth. To free my story.” This has been one of those awesome reads that I wished I’d read in print first! Now I have my own paperback copy, I can really appreciate the layout of the story as it is told through verse, together with the stunning illustrations by one of my favourite creators, and especially the map, newspaper clippings and more! I loved it even without the treats and trimmings!
Without stories we cannot get to the truth, and Estie Noor’s adventure in Scotland away from her turbulent life in England takes her into a world that finally gives her permission to live her life in her own skin, with a community that is filled with love, caring and diversity; plus some family that see her and celebrate her, rebuild her confidence and light. Estie’s is a big story for such a young girl - she’s been expelled from school.
Expelled. Her mum is horrified and closes off, packing Estie off to her sister’s in the small town of Brunstane in Scotland. However Estie is feeling right now (hurt, disconnected, angry, frightened) regular readers will know this means change, a new beginning, and that the author’s got something exciting for us up her ink stained purple sleeves.
All the while Estie battles with coming to terms with and unpicking the events leading up to her expulsion, she is distracted by newfound friendships, especially with her cousin Idris, a quirky kid who loves his made up sayings and also has type 2 diabetes. However, there’s nothing like the local legendary myth-serious cat, Bean, coughing up an key intended for Estie that lands the children with a mystery to solve, filled with paper craft clues hidden around town, for which they must work out the answer to a riddle each time. The town’s annual Art Fair is fast approaching, and the wonderfully community (with LGBTQ+ inclusive characters) are all pulling together - baking cakes, creating fantastic bookshop window displays and more.
There are wisps of Agatha Christie in the nature of local community, everyone’s a suspect, the super sleuths Idris and Estie (after all kinds of plot twists) closing in for the final reveal… While there is a lot of fun going on in the book, this is a story about a child, a child who has suffered incredibly from being educated by a racist teacher, a child who stood up for herself and her belonging and passion to help others learn about people like Maud Sulter, Sophia Duleep Singh, and Jayaben Desai.
“‘Princess Sophia Duleep Singh was one of Britain’s suffragettes. Her father was an Indian maharaja, and her mother had a German father and Ethiopian mother.’ He raised his eyebrows at me. ‘I think you’re confusing your non-fiction with fiction.’ It was like someone had taken all the air from my throat.” Estie made up her mind to review more books that her teacher abhorred hearing about. ‘I think that if we learn about stories from a ... a variety of people with different journeys and experiences ... that it speaks to the journeys within us and ... recognises the equal value and potential of everyone and ...’ … ‘Just because you’ve not heard of a book, doesn’t mean it’s not good,’ I bit back, my voice rising before I even had time to think. ‘You don’t get to define what’s good or not, or whose stories get told.’ Mr Morton’s eyes narrowed. ‘I am the teacher. You are the pupil. OUT. NOW.’”
Estie is blind-sided by her mum not rescuing and supporting her daughter, but believing the teacher’s truth over her own daughter’s. Of course, readers learn more of Estie’s mum’s past together with Estie’s own journey as the tale unfolds, but there is a pain that is palpable through the words and expressions, a pain that needs to be released somehow, whether that’s howling like a wolf into the night sky, or through writing stories for others to learn from, creating artwork, or even taking part in an organised protest.
This is Estie’s STORY and she’s fought the overwhelming narratives around colourism that became the filter for her whole identity. She breaks free and embraces her mixed heritage, her skin, her hair, her power, her creativity, her life re-sets. Her truth matters. Readers get a fast-forward glimpse into Estie’s wonderful life aged 17 at the end of the book too. So lovely.
The author has taken care to leave real the reader with some superb further information about paper sculptures (Edinburgh has its own mystery paper artist, with sculptures appearing anonymously across the city) and many more personal touches to encourage children play with words like Idris, or how to create the perfect hot chocolate, or come up with your own fabulous iced bun design in the footsteps of Linsey and Lyndsey’s lovely bakery in the story.
Praise
“[A book] about injustice, a mystery and finding your voice. Yes, please.” ― Patrice Lawrence
Illustration © Sandhya Prabhat
Ad - reviewed from advanced digital proof copy provided by the publisher
