During the second lockdown, The Life of Riley was the first book I read to the whole school in our live, daily reading sessions. The sessions were highly anticipated and thoroughly enjoyed (apparently whole families would listen in and laugh along!), so when Finn Jones Was Here arrived for me I was so excited that it was promoted to the top of my tbr pile... and it didn't disappoint.
We first meet Eric as he attends Finn's funeral along with his mum ... both dressed as unicorns! However, it very quickly becomes apparent that everybody else is dressed in black. Mortified, Eric's mum is obviously unhappy but Eric is able to produce the funeral invitation he was sent with the dress-code on it - an invitation, it would appear, that only he has received. Then, just before the funeral begins, he is handed an envelope which contains a message from Finn, telling Eric that he isn't to do the reading he has been practising, but should do the one Finn has written in the envelope (one that can only be read by ultraviolet light which has been installed in the pulpit) ... oh, and he can't tell anybody Finn is making him do this. As you can imagine, the speech is not what you would usually hear at a funeral! Cue then, the start of the scavenger hunt, one that Eric can't tell anybody he is on, except Cooper, whom Finn has persuaded to join Eric for the adventure. Because that's what this is: it's an adventure for Eric, one where he is almost permanently outside his comfort zone, cracking codes and trying different things, all in the hopes that his friend will be waiting for him at the end.
This is a funny book that is full of giggles and laugh out loud moments (dancing unicorn at a funeral anyone?!) but one that has a serious thread running through it. I cannot imagine how difficult it must be to lose your best friend when you're a child, but I know that it would have a profound effect on anybody in that position (and don't get me started on what Finn's family will be going through: there aren't enough tissues in the world for that). Grief hits everybody differently and there is no right or wrong way to deal with a situation like this. Eric has clearly (and very understandably) not come to terms with having lost his best friend and there are reasons for that which become apparent as the book unfolds. I love that this is a story that shows children that it's ok to grieve in your own way; that it's ok to find death difficult, but it's also ok to laugh about things that happen. The memories that Eric retells show the bond the pair had and allow the reader to get to know Finn (who sounds like he was the most epic friend!), and will also remind readers that remembering the good times after somebody has died can be a help.
I have to give a shout out to Cooper who takes on the role of side-kick in the scavenger hunt and does so with style. It can't be easy becoming Eric's friend at a time like this but his compassion and patience is a lesson to us all - he's a good guy.
Enhanced by wonderful illustrations by Jennifer Jamieson, Finn Jones Was Here is a triumph of a book. It's one that will make you laugh and it will make you cry (and boy did I cry!). It reminds us that friends should be treasured; that memories are wonderful things and that there is no right or wrong way to grieve. This is a book that I will remember for a long time. Oh, and is the reason why I will never look at a seagull in the same way again!
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