The Story
No Fixed Address tells the story of 12 year old Felix Frederik Knutsson and his single mum Astrid. Astrid can be persuasive and charming, but also a straight talker who lands herself in trouble, and someone who can be economical with the truth.
Felix loves living with Mormor (his Swedish granny) and watching the game show Who, What, Where, When, whilst Astrid works two jobs to make ends meet. When Mormor passes away Astrid discovers that Mormor wired most of her life savings to a Nigerian prince, so can only buy a small modern apartment with her inheritance. That is the start of a helter-skelter of housing problems that ultimately leads Astrid and Felix to living in a Volkswagen Westfalia camper van. Yes, you read correctly, avan.
How do you register for school when you can’t provide an address? How can you afford to buy food when Astrid loses yet another job? How do you survive without a bathroom? How do you stay warm with no electricity? How can you hang out with your friends when you can’t invite them over?
As summer turns to winter the family’s needs get more desperate. Felix becomes increasingly dependent on his school friends Dylan and Winnie Wu, but keeping such a big secret puts a strain on their friendship. Can Felix win the new junior edition, and the prize money, on Who, What, Where, When before he and Astrid are torn apart?
My Thoughts
This book made me think that we are all really lucky to have shelter over our heads and not to have to rely on the community centre for showers and the kindness of strangers for food. Following the story of Felix shows you the importance of being truthful and that you should not judge other people just because they do not have a real home.
My rating:
