Lenny’s Book of Everything is a book that transcends age groups, with every aspect of this novel being exquisite – the story, the structure, the language, and how each character, no matter how big or small, is brought utterly to life. Australian author Karen Foxlee restores faith in humanity at the same time as she breaks hearts in this novel about heartbreak and healing.
Lenny’s Book of Everything tells the story of Lenny, small and birdlike, who has a younger brother Davey who was born with a rare form of gigantism. Davey will not stop growing and at age seven is as tall as a man. Raised by their single mother, who works numerous jobs and is made almost entirely out of worries, their ‘us against the world’ mentality is gradually chipped away as Davey’s health deteriorates. But the bright spot in each week is the arrival of the latest issue of Burrell’s Build-It-at-Home Encyclopedia. Lenny and Davey experience the wonders of the world — beetles, birds, quasars, quartz — and dream about a life of freedom and adventure, visiting places like Saskatchewan and the gleaming lakes of the North West Territories. But as her brother’s health worsens, Lenny comes to accept the inevitable truth; Davey will never make it to Great Bear Lake.
Lenny’s Book of Everything is a big-hearted novel about love and letting go from an award winning author.
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