This month we celebrate the release of Lisa Heathfield’s book, I Am Not A Number. If you’ve haven’t heard what Lisa’s fourth book is about, there is no better introduction that the author note from the pages of the book itself.
Read Lisa Heathfield’s author note from I Am Not A Number and discover the heart-wrenching and timely content of the latest book from the author of Paper Butterflies and Flight of a Starling.
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‘Ruby’s story has its roots in the unbearable horrors of the Holocaust, where it’s estimated that 12 million people died in Hitler’s concentration camps. Prisoners were subjected to unimaginable suffering, including starvation, hard-labour and barbaric medical experiments. My book is set in the present day and it is, of course, a work of fiction. And yet when I was writing I Am Not A Number I had a sense of life imitating art. The influence of fascism on global politics is undeniable, from Europe to South America and the USA.
Today, too often, we hear echoes of the past in the words of politicians; words of prejudice, racism and nationalism spoken from those who are meant to be leading our world.
We mustn’t be the ones to tolerate this, to turn our backs.
Above all else my intention is that this book carries a message of hope – hope that love and tolerance will prevail. I truly believe that, guided by the younger generation, who show courage through their actions and protests, we can learn to replace division with unity, fear with friendship and the language of hatred with that of respect.’
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About the Book
The Traditionals have been voted to lead the country, winning people over with talks of healing a broken society, of stronger families and safer streets. They promised a happier future for everyone. They didn’t promise this.
When Ruby is swept up with protesters from the opposition, her life is changed forever. Locked in a prison camp far from home and with her belongings taken from her, she’s now known by the number 276. With horror escalating in the camp, Ruby knows that she has to get her family out – and let the world know what’s happening.
I Am Not A Number is a powerful and timely book for both young adults and adults alike.
About the Author
Lisa Heathfield launched her writing career with Seed, her stunning YA debut about a cult.
Before becoming a mum to her three sons, she was a secondary school English teacher and loved inspiring teenagers to read.
Paper Butterflies is her beautiful and heart-breaking second novel followed by Flight of a Starling.
I Am Not A Number is her fourth book with Electric Monkey.
Lisa lives in Brighton.
