When Shadows Fall
Endorsed by Amnesty International and Shortlisted for The Carnegie Medal for Writing 2023.
Published in Hardback by Stripes at Little Tiger November 2021. Paperback May 2022. Ilustrated by Natalie Sirett. Edited by Mattie Whitehead.
Kai, Orla and Zak grew up together, their days spent on the patch of wilderness in between their homes, a small green space in a sprawling grey city.
Music, laughter and friendship bind them together and they have big plans for their future - until Kai's family suffers a huge loss. Trying to cope with his own grief, as well as watching it tear his family apart, Kai is drawn into a new and more dangerous crowd, until his dreams for the future are a distant memory.
Excluded from school and retreating from his loved ones, it seems as though his path is set, his story foretold. Orla, Zak and new classmate Om are determined to help him find his way back.
But are they too late? A heart-breaking and poignant novel from award-winning author Sita Brahmachari.
The story is already beginning its journey as a creative catalyst for young people to express themselves through the arts as they navigate growing up through this time, seeking common ground.
“When Shadows Fall is an invitation to join a community at the heart of which is the tale of a young man gripped by tragedy and trauma. The book offers hope though mutual support and a focus in figuring out what really matters. I was moved and uplifted.”
Charcoal drawings inspired by the character of Omid, a refugee survior from Syria.
Praise for When Shadows Fall
“When Shadows Fall is an invitation to join a community at the heart of which is the tale of a young man gripped by tragedy and trauma. The book offers hope though mutual support and a focus in figuring out what really matters… I was moved and uplifted.” Michael Rosen, BBC Front Row 2021
“How quickly teenagers fall apart – and how fast they can heal. This is the hopeful message from Sita Brahmachari, a writer who mixes verse and prose to tell stories that stick.” The Times’ Best Books List 2021
"A moving, hard-hitting journey for teens through grief and acceptance, interwoven with powerful illustration and viscerally vivid verse." The Guardian's The best YA books of 2021
"Sita Brahmachari tells the heart-breaking story of Kai. Following him from childhood through his teenage years, we see someone who is loved by family, friends, and wild ravens, yet is unable to respond to offers of help as he plummets into a severe and lasting depression. Kai’s voice and the voices of his friends are all represented in the story, which is even more powerful for showing his struggle from different perspectives. With verse and prose and powerful illustrations from Natalie Sirett, this is a completely absorbing book.
Natalie's illustrations aren't at all what I'd imagined but are so much better than I could have hoped. They are perfectly in tune with Sita's writing, depicting such sensitive facial expressions, and hugely revealing body language, showing inner turmoil, immense sadness, weariness, and despair. Simply beautiful.” The Scotsman's The Best Books for Teens
“In WHEN SHADOWS FALL Sita Brahmachari gets inside the heads and hearts of young people and beautifully tells their stories with truth and poetry. These are the young people who live in our country, but whose stories we so rarely hear. Following Kai’s journey through family trauma and friendship is both deeply moving and inspiring. The illustrations throughout by Natalie Sirett that link to the protagonist and his art, dreams, and nightmares, become an integral part of the book's texture. Brahmachari's background of work with community theatre, young people and refugees is so evident - every word of her writing feels authentic and connected to our world today. The tenderness and complexity of parent child relationships is extraordinary in this novel. The book touches on so many resonant themes; from the perilous result of school exclusion to the power of friendship, community and the natural world.” Sarah Gavron – Award winning screen director ‘Rocks’
“Sita Brahmachari’s touching story permeates love and youth without romanticisation, and gives hope for young people overlooked by society, but certainly seen through the touching voices of Kai, Omid and Orla. A book I wish I had as a young adult. Sita Brahmachari’s writing shows care, longing, and companionship without the usual romanticisation of youth. Instead, this is a world they will recognise, voices they have heard and problems they have seen, making it a book of hope that even though society might overlook them, When Shadows Fall won’t.” Ssega Love- Singer Songwriter and activist
“A song of growing up, grief and the power of connection, When Shadows Fall is an illuminating and lyrical read” Polly Ho-Yen, author
“Beautifully told with real care, tenderness and heart” Jasbinder Bilan
“Sita’s lyrical prose captures the raw emotions of adolescence – of a young person navigating their way through grief and troubled times. A book for all of us.” Gill Lewis, author
“A heart-wrenching story about loss and art and nature, about how things can fall apart and how friends stand beside one another no matter what” - Rashmi Sirdeshpande, author
“Empathetic, original, searingly sad in places, but full of hope, & the power of friendship, art, music, wild places, and ravens” - Nicola Penfold, author
"Full of empathy and hope… Kai's story is a must read for teens to explore how easily things can fall apart but also how we can heal." - A.M. Dassu, author.
"A song of growing up, grief and the power of connection, When Shadows Fall is an illuminating and lyrical read" - Polly Ho-Yen, author.
"Sita's lyrical prose captures the raw emotions of adolescence - of a young person navigating their way through grief and troubled times. A book for all of us." - Gill Lewis, author.
“Impactful, innovative, and deeply moving." - Sinead O'Hart, author
"A heart-wrenching story about loss and art and nature, about how things can fall apart and how friends stand beside one another no matter what" - Rashmi Sirdeshpande, author
