Pigeon English (edit title/settings)

Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit see section history

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Summary edit see section history

Characters edit see section history

• Harrison: Harri is our narrator. An eleven-year old recent immigrant from Ghana, Harrison sets out to investigate the stabbing of a young teen in his neighbourhood.
• Lydia: Lydia is Harrison's sister. She, too, is learning to settle into a new way of life.
• Mamma: Harrison's and Lydia's mother, she has brought her two eldest children to the UK to start a new life but she has had to leave her husband and her youngest daughter at home in Ghana.
• Papa: Harrison's father has had to stay in Ghana while his family move to the UK
• Agnes: Harrison's youngest sister, she has stayed in Ghana with her father.
• Sonia: Harrison's aunt, she is currently in the UK but she likes to move around a lot.
• Julius: Sonia's partner, Julius represents the darkness at the edge of the family.
• Dean: Harrison's best friend at school, Dean helps Harrison to investigate the murder of a local teen.
• Jordan: Harrison's friend at home, Jordan has been excluded from school for repeatedly breaking the rules.
• Terry Takeaway: A local chancer, Terry Takeaway earned his nickname for his thieving. His dog, Asbo, is also a key personality in the novel.
• Miquita: A friend of Lydia's, boyfriend of "Killa".
• X-fire: A member of the Dell-Farm Crew.
• Dizzy: A member of the Dell-Farm Crew
• Killa: A member of the Dell-Farm Crew
• Brett Shawcross: Harrison's rival to become the fastest boy in Year 7
• Mr Frimpong: A local man who goes to the same church as Harrison's family
• Mr Tomlin: The science teacher at Harrison's school

Quotes edit see section history

• “Asweh, the sea is even bigger than you can fit in your head. When I looked to the end of the sea it wasn't even hutious anymore, it was like looking at the place where I came from. Every time one of the fishing men jumped in the sea he made another splash that added to ours. They didn't stay apart like I thought they would, they all got mixed up like fingers in holding hands. They all became each other and the sea stretched back to the same shape it always was. It was very clever. The waves you make keep you together so you don't get lost. You just have to aim in the right direction and kick.-pg. 173”

  Harrison

• “When there's a star on a flag it stands for freedom. The star points in all directions, it means you can go anywhere you want. That's why I love stars, because they stand for freedom.”

  Harrison

• ““...you all want to be the sea. But you're not the sea, you're just a raindrop.””

  Harrison

• “Say it with me: I am a drop in the ocean. I am neighbour, nation, north and nowhere. I am one among many and we all fall together.””

Setting & Locations edit see section history

• England: Harrison, Lydia and their mother have moved to England to start a new life.
• Ghana: Harrison's father and youngest sister, Agnes, have had to stay at home in Ghana until they can organise their visas.

First Sentence edit see section history

Series & Lists edit see section history

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

1. Stephen Kelman (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Awards edit see section history

• Desmond Elliott Prize (Finalist, 2011, Shortlist)
• Man Booker Prize (Finalist, 2011, Shortlist)
• Guardian First Book Award (Finalist, 2011, Longlist)

Classification edit see section history

• Library of Congress: Add the Library of Congress Classification.
• Dewey: 813

Subjects edit see section history

• Books › Literature & Fiction
• Books › Literature & Fiction › World Literature › British