Face

by Benjamin Zephaniah

Overview

'A brilliant first novel' Guardian

In the moving and compelling debut novel from Benjamin Zephaniah, a young man's life is completely changed when his face is badly scarred in a car accident.

Martin seems to have it all. He's cool, funny, and he's the undisputed leader of the Gang of Three, who roam their East London estate during the holidays looking for fun. But one night after the Gang leave a late night rap club, Martin accepts a ride from Pete, a Raider's Posse gang member. Too late, he realises that the car is stolen, and that the police are after them.

What happens next will change Martin's life and looks, and show him the true meaning of strength, courage, discrimination and friendship.

Brilliantly written and with a real ear for dialogue, fans of Angie Thomas and Malorie Blackman will love Benjamin Zephaniah's novels for young adult readers:

Refugee Boy
Face
Gangsta Rap
Teacher's Dead

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781408825426
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date:	07/04/2011
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	208
File size:	476 KB
Age Range:	12 Years

About the Author

A high-profile international author with an enormous breadth of appeal, Benjamin Zephaniah was perhaps best known for his performance poetry with a political edge for adults and ground-breaking performance poetry for children. Alongside his poetry he created novels and plays, wrote and performed music and had a recurring role as preacher Jeremiah Jesus in the BBC series Peaky Blinders. In his novels for young people, which include Face, Refugee Boy, Gangsta Rap and Teacher's Dead, Zephaniah tackled vital themes that resonate as much today as they did upon their first publication.

Editorial Reviews

"The author paints a sympathetic portrait of a burn victim, who changes as much on the inside as on the outside," PW said. "Kids will tune in to this book's clear message about appearances." Ages 12-up. (Oct.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

Gr 8-10-Accepting a ride home with a former schoolmate, Pete, after a night out, Martin and Mark, 15, are unaware that he has been joyriding in a stolen car, and the short trip turns to tragedy as he is killed and Martin's face is burned beyond recognition. The medical treatments for burn victims are described accurately, and each professional involved with the teen's care comes into play as a supporting character. Martin's emotions run the gamut from guilt and anger to fear of losing his friends and being ignored by classmates. A psychologist helps him handle looking into a mirror for the first time and he befriends another patient, whose reassurance is pivotal to his recovery. Because of his grit and tenaciousness, Martin refuses to play the victim for long. When his girlfriend rejects him and children call him "Dog face," he becomes depressed but ultimately recovers after gaining the respect of his gymnastics teammates, who name him captain. Rather than pity Martin, readers will empathize with his desire to be normal. They will also enjoy the British dance club scene and the hip teen vocabulary.-Vicki Reutter, Cazenovia High School, NY Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

School Library Journal

Looks may not be everything, but few high-school students would deny that physical appearance is connected to self-esteem and social standing. Zephaniah (Refugee Boy, p. 814) explores this theme wherein Martin, a good-looking, confident youngster, is burned and facially disfigured during a car crash. After a prolonged, somewhat tedious setup that introduces Martin and his world and then delineates his hospital stay, Zephaniah gets to the meat of his story—how Martin’s altered face affects his feelings about himself and his relationships with others. Martin proves to be a champion survivor, attending classes as soon as he’s physically able, then joining and becoming the captain of the school gymnastics team. A devastating experience—he’s surrounded by group of younger kids who viciously taunt him about his looks—temporarily drives Martin off the team and back to the safety of his room. But he soon finds the courage to soldier on, leading his team in a freestyle gymnastic routine of his own devise. By showing up and competing at the tournament, he learns that, "It’s not the winning that matters . . . it’s the being here." It’s a strong idea, but the story, which is set in Britain, never feels like it’s plumbed the depths of the situation fully. The exposition is stilted, Martin’s adjustment is too easy, and the author, by over-explaining how Martin feels and what he’s learned, doesn’t allow the reader to experience his situation viscerally. Nonetheless, a worthy subject that should give kids plenty to think about. (Fiction. 10+)

Kirkus Reviews