Emili Teixidor was born in Roda de Ter, Barcelona, Spain in 1933. Known best for his numerous children's books, his first adult novel, Retrato de un asesino de pájaros, was published to tremendous acclaim in 1988. Several more novels followed, establishing his reputation as one of Spain's greatest contemporary authors. Emili Teixidor passed away in 2012.

"This richly written saga, set in the Catalan countryside in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, 11-year-old Andreu has gone to live with his grandparents while his father awaits execution for reputedly subversive activities. Initially, Andreu enjoys romping with cousins Quirze and Núria—the old plumtree is their base of operations—and Teixidor’s details of family, school, and country life are homey and surprisingly gratifying. The story gets darker and increasingly interesting as we learn more about Andreu’s parents, with Andreu reflecting bitterly on his meek mother’s single-minded obsession with saving his off-balance father and proclaiming, “Love burns. Love destroys. Love kills.” His confusion is compounded when he’s distracted from Núria’s teasing sex games by the sight of a young man stretched out naked in a monastery garden. Eventually, Andreu must leave his own garden for the wider world, convinced that he’s a monster. VERDICT A taut and tender coming-of-age story that’s both resonant and intriguingly different."—Library Journal

Emili Teixidor was born in Roda de Ter, Barcelona, Spain in 1933. Known best for his numerous children's books, his first adult novel, Retrato de un asesino de pájaros, was published to tremendous acclaim in 1988. Several more novels followed, establishing his reputation as one of Spain's greatest contemporary authors. Emili Teixidor passed away in 2012.

"This richly written saga, set in the Catalan countryside in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, 11-year-old Andreu has gone to live with his grandparents while his father awaits execution for reputedly subversive activities. Initially, Andreu enjoys romping with cousins Quirze and Núria—the old plumtree is their base of operations—and Teixidor’s details of family, school, and country life are homey and surprisingly gratifying. The story gets darker and increasingly interesting as we learn more about Andreu’s parents, with Andreu reflecting bitterly on his meek mother’s single-minded obsession with saving his off-balance father and proclaiming, “Love burns. Love destroys. Love kills.” His confusion is compounded when he’s distracted from Núria’s teasing sex games by the sight of a young man stretched out naked in a monastery garden. Eventually, Andreu must leave his own garden for the wider world, convinced that he’s a monster. VERDICT A taut and tender coming-of-age story that’s both resonant and intriguingly different."—Library Journal

Emili Teixidor was born in Roda de Ter, Barcelona, Spain in 1933. Known best for his numerous children's books, his first adult novel, Retrato de un asesino de pájaros, was published to tremendous acclaim in 1988. Several more novels followed, establishing his reputation as one of Spain's greatest contemporary authors. Emili Teixidor passed away in 2012.

"This richly written saga, set in the Catalan countryside in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, 11-year-old Andreu has gone to live with his grandparents while his father awaits execution for reputedly subversive activities. Initially, Andreu enjoys romping with cousins Quirze and Núria—the old plumtree is their base of operations—and Teixidor’s details of family, school, and country life are homey and surprisingly gratifying. The story gets darker and increasingly interesting as we learn more about Andreu’s parents, with Andreu reflecting bitterly on his meek mother’s single-minded obsession with saving his off-balance father and proclaiming, “Love burns. Love destroys. Love kills.” His confusion is compounded when he’s distracted from Núria’s teasing sex games by the sight of a young man stretched out naked in a monastery garden. Eventually, Andreu must leave his own garden for the wider world, convinced that he’s a monster. VERDICT A taut and tender coming-of-age story that’s both resonant and intriguingly different."—Library Journal