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The ballad of a broken nose

Arne Svingen - Author

Bart's love of opera is a private escape from a difficult home life. When Ada encourages him to perform, the story brings music, friendship and school life together.

More about this book

Bart is an eternal optimist. At thirteen years old, he s had a hard life. But Bart knows that things won t get any better if you have a negative attitude. His mother has pushed him into boxing lessons so that Bart can protect himself, but Bart already has defense mechanisms: he is relentlessly positive and he loves opera. Listening to and singing opera is Bart s greatest escape, but he s too shy to share this with anyone. Then popular Ada befriends him and encourages him to perform at the school talent show. Ada can t keep a secret to save her life, but Bart bonds with her anyway, and her openness helps him realize that his troubles are not burdens that he must bear alone.

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Book Analysis

At a Glance

Discover

Friendship· AffirmedSupport· AffirmedOpenness· Affirmed

Consider

Social conflictEmotional intensity

Personalised Fit

Beyond the Cover

friendshipsupportopenness

FictionIllustrated book

Themes in Context

Friendship and sharing troubles

Ada befriends Bart and encourages him to perform; her openness helps him realise he need not carry his troubles alone.

How the book presents it: Friendship and openness help Bart recognise that he need not carry his troubles alone; this does not mean his difficulties are resolved.

Talk about: What makes it possible for Bart to share more with Ada?

Why It May Be Worth Reading

The story centres on a friendship that helps Bart recognise he need not bear his troubles alone; optimism and openness are important to how he responds to difficulties.

What Deserves Attention

Bullying and fear are among the story's themes, alongside Bart's difficult home life.

A Conversation Worth Having

If Bart's optimism helps him cope, does it also make it harder for him to ask others for support?

Reading Approach

You could read together and pause to talk about what opera means to Bart, then compare how he feels about performing before and after Ada encourages him.

Confidence & Basis

Theme indicators describe how the book presents a topic; they are not a verdict on the whole book or your family's values. Confidence reflects how much book-specific material was checked. Only part of the book information was available, so some details remain unconfirmed.

What remains unconfirmed

Friendship and sharing troubles: The friendship thread centres on Ada's encouragement and Bart's growing willingness to share his troubles.

The Ballad of a Broken Nose - Arne Svingen - Google Books

Limited information

Checked: 1 October 2026.

Relevant to: Friendship and sharing troubles

The ballad of a broken nose by Arne Svingen | Open Library