Stella - Catherine R Johnson

A vivdly-written novel with a strong main character - a girl of mixed race in Victorian London. The author, herself of mixed race, has written sensitively on these topics before.Stella works as a stage clairvoyant, taught the tricks of the trade by Nana, her guardian. When Nana dies suddenly, Stella is left alone to fend for herself, battling against those who try to cheat her and eventually finding out the truth about her own, unknown parents.Catherine R Johnson is establishing a name for writing about mixed-race teenagers - her previous book, Hero, published simultaneously in B-format, deals with slavery and prejudice, also in a historical context. She lives in East London and is Book Trust's Children's Literature Co-ordinator for London, Writer in Residence at Holloway Prison, and a holder of a Royal Literary Fellowship.