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To and Fro - Anton Clifford-Motopi

To and Fro

By: Anton Clifford-Motopi

Paperback | 19 March 2024

At a Glance

Paperback

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Sam tries to understand what it means to be black in this funny Australian story about identity, family and friendship.

Most kids meet their parents when they're born. All they need to do to impress them is poop, sleep and make goo-goo ga-ga sounds. But I'm twelve. None of that is going to impress my father.

 Sam thinks he's a weird-looking white kid with an afro. He lives with his white mum (annoying but not smelly) and brown dog Trevor (smelly but not annoying). He's never met his father. He just knows that his father is black.

But a surprise visit has Sam questioning who he really is. Is he a white kid with a black dad? Or a black kid with white skin? Or half-black and half-white?

Not only does Sam want to know these answers, he has to know them to finish his annoying homework and perform in the school concert. But how can he make his outside match his insides if he doesn't know who he is?

A delightfully funny story about family and identity, and what it means to be truly Sam.

About the Author

Anton Clifford-Motopi enjoys writing stories that make children laugh. His stories explore themes of self-identity, family relationships and friendship, drawing from his experiences of being mixed race, growing up in a large adoptive family and raising four children. Anton first became interested in writing for children while teaching Health & Physical Education and English at a high school in Mount Isa, but it would be many years before he put pencil to paper. That day arrived when he was shopping for a book to buy his daughter for her birthday.

Browsing through children's books, he decided it was time he followed his heart. Over the next decade, Anton wrote three children's books while completing postgraduate studies in public health, working as a university lecturer and raising four children – phew! Alas, none of these books were published, but they developed Anton's love for storytelling and were important steps to him becoming a published children's author. At the moment, Anton's other job is a health researcher at a university. The job involves a lot of thinking, reading and writing, but his passion is writing funny and thought-provoking stories for children. To and Fro is his debut novel.

www.antoncliffordmotopi.com
Industry Reviews

'Anton Clifford-Motopi delivers a fresh story about belonging and self-discovery - one that Aussie kids with unique backgrounds will wholeheartedly relate to. Quick-witted and intent main character Sam, along with his best friend, mum, dad and nanna, go on a journey full of laughs, tears, joy - and some embarrassing blunders - to explore what identity really is. Cheeky, funny and full of heart, To and Fro will have you cheering for Sam right till the end.' H. Hayek, bestselling author of Huda and Me

'Exuberant, hilarious and messy (just like life!), To and Fro is perfect for kids who feel like their outsides don't match their insides.' Rebecca Lim, multi-award-winning author of Tiger Daughter

'Not only does To and Fro engage with pitch-perfect humour, it tenderly portrays a young boy navigating a new identity. Sam's vulnerable moments never linger on the page but instead quietly build to a moving climax, and thereafter a series of thoughtful resolutions. Truly satisfying, educating, moving and entertaining. A much-needed novel in Australian children's literature.' Emily Gale, award-winning author of The Goodbye Year

'A heartfelt and humorous exploration of the complexities of growing up mixed race in Australia. This delightful offering for readers aged 8-12 tells an engaging story that seamlessly weaves in discussions of race and identity - a welcome addition to the Australian middle-grade landscape, which has a dearth of directly comparable stories ... What truly sets To and Fro apart is its ability to tackle serious topics with humour and wit, and it filled the book with many laugh-out-loud moments.' Books+Publishing

You Can Find This Book In

Kids & Children's BooksChildren, Teenagers & Young Adults (YA) FictionGeneral, Modern & Contemporary Fiction for Children & TeenagersPersonal & Social IssuesLearning about Racism, Discrimination & Multiculturalism for Children & TeenagersFamily & Home Stories for Children & TeenagersHumorous Stories for Children & Teenagers

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