Hello Mum by Bernardine Evaristo is part of the Quick Reads series. It is written as a letter from a 14 year old boy to his mother to explain the circumstances that led to a street gang stabbing in London.
Evaristo skilfully describes the relationship between a mother and her son who is desperate for acceptance, belonging and security but natively makes wrong choices to achieve these things. Interweaved into the story is the nature of street gangs, the complicated lives of single mothers and siblings with different parents. Writing the story as a letter Evaristo convincingly portrays the thought processes of a 14 year old.
In some ways it is a cautionary tale for young teenage boys that shows how quickly and badly things can go desperately wrong.
An engaging story.
