Olin niinku aurinko paistais
(I Was Like the Sun Was Shining) Book not yet available in English
Summary:
In the spring of 2020, everything goes wrong. When his mother falls ill with COVID-19, Gabriel finds himself being the one who takes responsibility for the daily life of the family, and his little sister’s online school. Despair and anxiety grow as money runs out and their mother doesn’t get better. Gabriel can’t tell anyone about the situation, because what would happen if a teacher or social services found out that there was no adult at home to take care of everything?
Edited by: Lastenkirjainstituutti
Comment:
In this verse novel, a young man, Gabriel, tries to cope with a difficult situation all alone, without asking for help. Gabriel is afraid that the social services will hear about his mother’s illness and does everything he can to avoid telling the truth, even to his girlfriend Aava. Gabriel has to take on too much responsibility for the daily life of the entire family of three. All of this becomes too much for Gabriel, and finally, when the next adversity hits, he can no longer bear it and ends up seeking help.