We Are Family

From the third of six children brought up by a single Dad in a poverty-stricken household, living on national assistance, dressed from the charity shops, relying on free school dinners, a sort of misery memoir might be expected. But not so: "Not only was Dad a fighting man, Us kids were fighters too." In this poetic memoir of his childhood, full of energy and exuberant humour, Oliver depicts his family and their way of life. Boxing is their sport and the ring helps hold them together: "In every boxing workout, I pour out all my pain, And at the end I feel like a Champion once again." We Are Family is an outstanding achievement. It shows how a family living on the margin in every way can keep its own life positive and (mostly) happy. Children will relish this true tale in verse that sometimes hits quite hard but is always refreshingly direct.