White Raven 2021
English synopsis & sample translation available
Benjamin is in the second year of secondary school. He finds life a struggle and longs more than anything to be as popular as his brother Valentine. Benjamin is socially awkward and has no friends. Valentine comes home every day with enthusiastic stories about how wonderful his friends are and all the cool things he experiences.
In the summer holidays, during which Valentine makes two new close friends and Benjamin suffers a breakup, Benjamin decides to go wherever Valentine goes and do whatever Valentine does, hoping that this will make him more popular. Valentine is driven crazy by his younger brother, who follows him around like a puppy, and the two repeatedly clash, especially when Benjamin signs up for the annual school musical, just like his brother. But then one day Benjamin learns a big secret from his brother, a secret that will change both boys’ lives.
‘King Valentine is a truly outstanding young adult novel that uses touching dialogue and a lot of humour to describe the special relationship between two brothers in a literary, sparkling way.’ – Jury White Ravens, 2021