The Year the Gypsies Came

by Linzi Glass

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1960s (2) abuse (5) affair (1) Africa (6) apartheid (8) BBYA (2) children's fiction (4) CLCSC-F (2) coming of age (2) dead people (1) death (3) family (8) fiction (9) friendship (2) gypsies (3) illness (1) middle school (2) must read (3) photography (1) race (2) racism (2) rape (5) ROOTs (1) South Africa (18) teen (2) travelers (1) young adult (10) young adult fiction (4) young adult literature (2) Zulu (2)

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Showing 1-5 of 13 (next | show all)

The year the gypsies came was a verry intellegent read. For me it pulled me in and I was not able to put it down it's a story about a girl who lives in johannasberg with her family who are white but they let black people in there lives and one day they have some visitors that stay for a long time at their house but they are a verry interesting group of people! (

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SMG-MMorrison | Mar 9, 2011 |

This is a story of Emily,a twelve year old girl in South Africa. Her family is disconnected and her parents fight a lot. Her only comfort is Buza, the ancient Zulu watchman that tells her the tales of his people. Emily's life suddenly changes when her father invites the family of a wildlife photographer to come an live with them till they can find a place to stay. This is a very sad book, with also a good history of racism in South Africa. (

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15louisn | Sep 23, 2010 |

Set in apartheid South Africa, The Year the Gypsies Came centers around a 12-year old girl, Emily, whose family is splitting at the seams. Her parents often encourage house guests to stay, including the those of the title - not really gypsies, but a wandering wildlife photographer and his family. Sprinkled through the book are stories told to Emily by the family night watchman - some traditional Zulu, others more historical.

I don't know why I do this, but: elements of Of Mice and Men and the movie Ice Storm put in Jo'burg during apartheid. Beautifully written. (

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ljbwell | Sep 18, 2010 |

Twelve year old Emily craves affection from her constantly quarreling parents. She is tomboy with few friends, only her kind older sister and their Zulu servant, Buza who tells her stories of wisdom and magic. When a mysterious family of wanderers comes to stay, Emily finds a kindred soul in one of the houseguests as she learns of the pain and struggles of those all around her in apartheid South Africa. (

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audramelissa | Sep 25, 2009 |

Poetisch verhaal van een meisje dat opgroeit in Zuid-Afrika. VAder en moeder zijn met zichzelf bezig en hebben geen oog voor hun opgroeiende pubers. Gelukkig kan em'ly goed praten met buza, de zwarte bewaker. (

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jetwise | Aug 30, 2009 |

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Het jaar dat de zigeuners kwamen

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The Year the Gypsies Came

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ALA Best Books for Young Adults (2007)

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Mijn familie was tot op zekere hoogte te vergelijken met de stad waar we woonden: Johannesburg; eGoli in Zoeloe - de 'gouden stad'.

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Amazon.com Product Description (ISBN 0805079998, Hardcover)

Set in apartheid South Africa, this powerful and lyrically written novel is Linzi Glass's debut.

As twelve-year-old Emily Iris explains it, her mother and father have always been eager to take in travelers and vagabonds, relying on the presence of outsiders to ease the tension between them. Emily has her gentle older sister, Sarah, and Buza, the old Zulu nightwatchman, for company and comfort. But her parents' continuing discontent leads them to welcome some peculiar strangers.

One spring, a family of wanderers--a wildlife photographer, his wife, and two boys--comes to stay, and their strange, compelling, and dangerous presence will leave the Iris family infinitely changed.

(retrieved from Amazon Wed, 20 Apr 2011 14:37:15 -0400)

▾Library descriptions

In Johannesburg, South Africa, in the late 1960s, twelve-year-old Emily, who longs for affection from her quarreling parents, finds comfort in the stories of a Zulu servant and in her friendship with a young houseguest who has an equally troubled family.… (more)

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