Stella lives with her mother in a small apartment in the best block in the best neighbourhood. Her best friend Rania lives two doors down the corridor. Stella and her mother don’t have much money because Stella’s mother doesn’t have a job, but they have enough, and they always have warm dinner on the plate. But when Stella’s mother invites the entire class to celebrate Stella’s birthday, Stella gets nervous. What will the class think of their small apartment? And what if they get sick from the food her mother finds on her regular dumpster diving? And worse still, what if her mother gets her migraines and has to take to bed and they have to cancel the birthday party? Stella and Rania have to make a plan B!

Guåker depicts how Stella is affected by the mother’s small income and the true value of community in a heartwarming and charming novel for middle grade.

The novel is illustrated by Oda Valle.

Helene Guåker (b. 1983) is an author and poet and has written books for both adults and YA. She has been nominated for the Brageprize for two of her YA novels and is a critically acclaimed writer.