The Distance Between Me and the Cherry Tree by Paol Peretti

 Bibliography: 

Peretti, Paol 2019. The Distance Between Me and the Cherry Tree, New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division,. ISBN 9781534439627

Plot Summary:

Mafalda, a nine-year-old girl, has Stargardt, a rapidly consuming degenerative illness that is causing her to lose her vision. We follow Mafalda's everyday difficulties as she tries to hide the loss of her vision from everyone. On her walk to school, she measures her eyesight loss by how far she can see the cherry tree. She compiles a list of the activities she won't be able to do after her sight is lost in order to cope with her anxieties of going blind. She then manages her impending blindness in the meantime with the aid of her friends and her imagination. A novel that won the Batchelder Award and shows how life goes on with unexpected joys.

Critical Analysis:

Italian author Paola Peretti's book, The Distance Between Me and the Cherry Tree, was translated from the original language. The first-person narration makes the narrative simple to understand. Mafalda is a good role model because she is appealing, sympathetic, and strong-willed. The themes of the novel are bravery and tenacity. The book doesn't have many drawings, but those that are there are drawn in what look to be black and grey. Although, like in the other drawings, the viewer never sees a face, one illustration depicts what looks to be Mafalda sitting with her cat in the cherry tree. Most likely, Mafalda's thoughts over her visual loss are expressed through the paintings.

By using numerous Italian names, such as Ottimo Turcaret, Cosimo, and Filippo for Mafalda's cat, the novel makes references to Italian culture. In a similar way, All Saints' Day, an Italian national holiday, is observed. An significant distinction and tale for kids with this uncommon condition that causes gradual vision loss and eventually blindness is that Peretti's novel is a realistic account of modern life in Italy by an Italian author who also has Mafalda's illness.

Review Excerpts:

"A quiet, philosophical story for thoughtful readers." -- Kirkus Reviews

"Peretti provides a tunnel of light for readers to reach for." -- Booklist

"A great opportunity to teach empathy and understanding." ― School Library Connection

ALA Mildred L. Batchelder Honor Book

Junior Library Guild Selections, 2012-2023

Connections:

Through drawing and guided thinking, students compare and contrast their personal experiences with various aspects of the story in order to understand how cultures are represented in the book.