Violet Soapy’s List
A captivating and quirky story about a young girl who has psychological challenges and lots of amazing adventures
Eleven-year-old Violet’s psychologist, Ingeborg, says she needs to meet more people. So, Violet decides to go and play with each of her classmates, in alphabetical order, whether she likes them or not. She has an ice cream with Jamie Bender, for example, and goes trampolining at Jamie Fles’s house. Then she writes detailed and funny descriptions of her playdates in a notebook.
Sometimes she gives herself challenges – like trying to make the mum of one of her classmates say a certain word, which turns out to be more difficult than she thought. At other times, she has in-depth conversations with people she doesn’t know, like Disco’s grandpa, who’s practising to be in the Olympic Games. He wants to become the oldest gold-medal winner in the triple jump.
It starts off innocently enough, but things become stranger and stranger. Bart-Peter is struck by lightning while taking part in the traditional Dutch sport of canal-vaulting, and Violet and Nonet discover a secret breeding farm for dodos when they visit a farm to get bedding for her guinea pig’s cage.
Something gradually starts gnawing away at the reader. What’s going on? There must be some reason why Violet’s working with a psychologist. Are these strange things really happening? And when will Ingeborg get to read Violet’s notebook? The explanation is delayed for a long time and comes as a surprise, with the story taking a hopeful and emotionally satisfying turn.
Curiosity about what exactly is going on maintains the tension from start to finish. As you turn every page, it feels like you might find something completely different from what you’ve imagined. Books like this are published only very occasionally: magical adventures that start out in such an ordinary and everyday way that they could happen to almost anyone – and you really want to believe they’re true.
Age: 10+
An unusual and imaginative protagonist
About the challenges of introversion and life at school
With an optimistic conclusion
An affectionate and absorbing account of a girl overcoming her challenges
“Vlietstra makes it remarkably clear how great the healing power of the imagination can be.”
“Original, imaginative, funny, poignant and tender at the same time.”
“Light and nimble style”
