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Jenni
Connor’s Rapid Reviews for Adolescent Readers
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| New titles |
A Prayer for Blue Delaney,
Kirsty Murray. Allen & Unwin 2005
This quartet of novels comprises an Irish saga that stretches from
the 1850s to contemporary Australia. We’ve had Bridie’s Fire
and Becoming Billy Dare and now A Prayer for Blue
Delaney which is a moving, gripping adventure story set in the
1950s. This is a good yarn, well written with strong
characterisation and a rich, detailed recognisable setting. Colm
(the friend of Billy Dare) has been abandoned at (you guessed it) a
Catholic orphanage when aged 5. The depiction of members of the
religious orders involved echoes Ruth Starke’s Orphans of the
Queen and resonates sadly with recently revealed personal
experiences of cruelty and exploitation. Overall, however, it’s the
kindly friendship of the battlers of the bush that live in our
memories when we close the book. (15+)
Surrender,
Sonya Hartnett. Viking 2005
Hartnett is one of the most poetic and complex of Australia’s
writers and this novel meets both criteria. We’re seduced by her
aptly chosen phrase at the same time as we are appalled by the human
capacity for evil and cruelty that she canvases. Not, of course,
that she reveals events in a transparent or linear way. We stagger
between the story as told by Finnigan, a wild boy who appears to
control poor, troubled Anwell, and Anwell’s story as told by his
alter ego, Gabriel. Who controls who, becomes one of the story’s
mysteries – Finnigan may light the fires, but who instructs him to
do so? The crisis that inevitably emerges from this post-modern
chaos actually centres on the dog, Surrender, and Evangeline,
Anwell’s first and only love. Such a crisis can only end in
violence, blood and pain and it does. A powerful and disturbing
novel by a fine writer. (15+)
Sabrina Fludde,
Pauline Fisk. Bloomsbury 2001
Fisk does magical fantasy with a contemporary twist very well. In
this novel, a little girl, having floated down the Severn, is
befriended by Bentley, the sax playing son of a loving and totally
impractical family. Abren, as she becomes known, is prepared to
stay, as long as ‘no questions are asked’. But, life (even in a
magical space and time) isn’t like that and Abren finds there is
evil and danger in both worlds – new and old. Rescued once more,
this time by Phaze aged 11, Abren is taken to the island, where she
meets Old Sabrina, queen of the river and she begins to piece
together her strange story. A moving, convincing and engrossing
novel in the British tradition of high fantasy. (14+)
Blood Pressure,
Alan Gibbons. Dolphin 2005
Initially, the extremely smug middle class protagonist, Aidan, gets
on one’s nerves. He seems to have it so good, that one hopes
he gets a reality check soon. Well, he does. Visiting ‘grotty’
Liverpool, ostensibly to farewell his much-loved, dying grandfather,
Aidan discovers uncomfortable truths about his own past and its
impact on his present life. His ‘real father’, for instance, is a
ruthless gangster (not the polite, conservative man he’s assumed to
be ‘dad’); said gangster father is in the middle of a very nasty
turf war and being pursued to the death. After a nightmare journey
with his father, Aidan comes to a grudging understanding of him and
accepts his mother’s feelings and actions – in other words, he
finally develops a little less egocentricity and more empathy. As a
result, Aidan moves on to a very different future than the one that
might have been predicted. A thriller that will engage many 15+
readers.
Replay,
Sharon Creech. Bloomsbury 2002
Creech amplifies the voice of the least empowered child, while using
few words; I guess she thinks in verse. Leo is in the school play,
but as the ‘old crone’, it’s hardly the heroic lead. But then, Leo
discovers that his papa used to tap dance when he was happy as a
child, and he begins to realise how the person now is connected to
‘the person then’. From there on, family magic is possible…if you
just believe. (10+)
Once,
Morris Gleitzman. Penguin 2005
An entirely original product from a pen most used to ‘entertaining’.
The novel derives from Gleitzman’s serious reflections on Hitler’s
determined ‘resolution of the Jewish question’ and the subsequent
terrible experiences of Jewish children in the period 1939-45. In
particular, the author uses the historical reality of a Polish
Jewish doctor who devoted his life to bringing some comfort to
Jewish orphans. The narrative devices of the repetition of ‘Once’ to
introduce each harrowing episode and the apparent ingenuousness of
the young narrator, work brilliantly to draw us into the
distressing, but engrossing story. (12+)
The Whole Business with Kiffo and the Pitbull,
Barry Jonsberg. Allen & Unwin 2004
Hysterically funny while being deeply moving and insightful,
Kiffo… charts new territory in ‘the school story’. It features
two unlikely, but devoted friends – Calma, who is ‘a bit of a nerd’,
trying not to stand out despite prodigious skill with the English
language; and Jaryd Kiffling (alias Kiffo) who has been written off
by parents and educators alike, because of his ‘unfortunate
background’ and apparent inarticulateness. Until, of course, a new
teacher – ‘the Pitbull’ – takes them full on. Deeply suspicious
about the Pitbull’s night life, Kiffo and Calma appoint themselves
Public Protection Agency Number 1. A tense, but hilarious adventure
ensues resulting in an apparently plausible explanation for these
‘nefarious activities’; but is it quite convincing? As the
CBCA judges noted: a story of true friendship with a crime mystery
thrown in.’ (12+)
Mimus,
Lilli Thal. Allen & Unwin 2005
An extraordinary medieval adventure starring prince Florin (a bit of
a twerp who is easily conned into his enemy’s lair) and Mimus, the
wily Court Jester. Treachery, cruelty and suspense abounds in this
gothic farce and the delight is we never know who to trust, right to
the end. An epic to absorb lovers of weird fantasy. (14+)
Runner,
Robert Newton. Penguin 2005
Set in Richmond, Melbourne in 1919, this historical novel charts the
path of Charlie, a natural runner who moves from running the bitter
streets of his neighbourhood to keep warm, to ‘running errands’ for
the gangster Squizzy Taylor, to running for his life. Charlie lives
with his mum and sickly baby brother Jack, like others in their
street, in grinding poverty. Being a righteous lad, Charlie is a bit
dubious about getting involved with crime, but when Mr Peacock
predates on his mother and Squizzy ‘helps them out’, Charlie feels
trapped. Alice, the baker’s daughter and Charlie’s new love gives
him a ‘moral way out’ by suggesting that he ‘do some good’ with the
money hard-earned from Squizzy. The prose style has Dickensian
undertones and while sentimentality triumphs, it’s a readable,
heart-warming Aussie saga. (15+)
Bringing Rueben Home,
Glenda Millard. ABC Books 2004
Set in the future city of New Carradon, this novel engages the
predictable but significant debate about individual freedoms versus
the power of the state. Replete with memories of the ‘cessation’
(the state’s word for the compulsory demise of the elderly, ill or
disabled), of his dearly loved wife Grace, Rueben is well over the
pretence that this is a brave new world. His ally in challenging
‘the way things are done here’ is the young woman, Cinnebar, whom he
has effectively raised. A science fiction that feels unnervingly
close to our reality, the novel raises and deals with issues of
injustice, untruth, genetic manipulation and what constitutes ‘a
good life’. These issues however, never get in the way of the
gripping plot and Millard has demonstrated a new breadth and depth
to her repertoire.
Kaitangata Twitch,
Margaret Mahy. Allen & Unwin 2005
Mahy is renowned for her ‘domestic fantasy’ novels and this one
weaves enchantment and reality in her time-honoured way. Told
through the narration of Meredith, the family dreamer, the story
revolves around the efforts of the initial residents of Kaitangata
to protect the island from an unscrupulous developer. An engaging
family story with a supernatural twist – or twitch – the novel opens
for discussion with older primary students relevant environmental
and lifestyle issues. (11+)
My Sister’s Keeper,
Jodi Picoult. Allen & Unwin 2005
Jodi Picoult has become one of the most popular ‘cross-over’ authors
having avid fans among adolescents, young adults and the general
adult market. This is an engrossing story of Anna who has almost
‘been bred’ as a compatible blood and bone supply for her older
sister Kate who is dying of leukaemia. The story is told from
multiple points of view so that we experience the perspectives of
parents, siblings, workmates and friends. The moral dilemmas arising
from scientific advances are powerfully canvassed, but the heart is
engaged at least as much as the mind and simplistic judgements on
serious ethical decisions are avoided. (14+)
When I was a Soldier,
Valerie Zenatti. Bloomsbury 2002
A biographical-style novel with a theme that is pertinent to current
events in the Middle East, this is the story of one young woman,
Valerie, who joins the Israeli army. Finishing exams, breaking up
with a boyfriend, leaving home… these are familiar growing up phases
in the lives of most young women. Taking up national service,
wearing a uniform, bearing arms, living in barracks and following
orders, are much less familiar to western readers. The
straightforward personal voice of the telling makes it very readable
and the quandaries Valerie faces are worthy of discussion. (15+)
The Secret Life of Bees,
Sue Monk Kidd. Hodder Headline 2002
In the tradition of To Kill a Mockingbird, but refreshingly
original, this novel traces the racial tensions that result in
Rosaleen, the black nursemaid of Lily being arrested and beaten.
Fugitives from justice, Rosaleen and Lily follow the trail left by
Lily’s mother ten years before and find sanctuary, as she had, with
three eccentric, beekeeping sisters. Sad, funny and intriguing, the
story has an authentic southern voice and deepens our understanding
about the world and human behaviour. It manages not to polarise
races or issues, choosing instead to focus on forgiveness, love and
growth. (15+)
Riding the Bus with My Sister,
Rachel Simon. Hodder Headline 2003
Billed as a ‘true life story’, the book charts the novelist’s
amazing experiences as she reluctantly ‘rides the bus’ with her
sister Beth for a year. Beth is intellectually impaired and doggedly
attached to her routines. Rachel’s relationship with Beth has never
been easy. Sometimes embarrassed, often exasperated, she finds
Beth’s fads and inflexibilities maddening and unmanageable. However,
‘going along for the ride’, Rachel develops a new respect for the
way in which Beth’s uncomplicated affection warms people around her
and for the unlikely heroes she meets on the buses. Rachel
undertakes her own journey back into her family’s past and starts to
heal unconscious wounds; she learns at last, to live in the moment.
(15+)
Night Vision,
Rory Barnes, ABC Books 2006
A mixture of ‘intergenerational friendship’ and ‘war retrospective’
the story is told by Kosta, a boy who is good at making a mess of
things. He’s on a good behaviour bond, he’s annoying the heck out of
his girlfriend and he’s having someone else’s dreams. When he starts
to read to Jack as a part-time job, he uncovers not only the
experiences of a young man caught up in the Great Depression and
World War 11, but clues to his own mysterious dreams and insights
into the present day world. It’s a novel about possessiveness,
betrayal, forgiveness and mateship, ideas that transcend time and
place. (13+)
Layla, Queen of Hearts,
Glenda Millard. ABC Books 2006
A sequel to the delicate novel, The Naming of Tishkin Silk,
this slim volume continues the story of the memorable Silk family
and their friend, Layla. The characters are remarkable, not just for
their charming, unworldly qualities, but for their generosity of
spirit. The school is to hold a senior citizens’ day and Layla
wishes she had someone special to take. Nell, Griffin’s empathetic
mother, suggests uncertainly that Miss Amelie might be willing to
assist. Her uncertainty arises because Miss Amelie, who mourns a
long-lost love, does not always exist in the real world, and does
not always remember things. Love and compassion win out and
everyone’s life is enriched by a child believing in small miracles.
(9+)
The Happiness of Kati,
Jane Vejjajiva. Allen & Unwin 2006
This is an exquisite novelette that captures with a gentle touch,
the rhythms of Kati’s life by the canal and her sadness at being
separated from her mother. Grandpa and Kati are especially close and
it is from him that she gains much wisdom and acceptance about how
things have to be. However, there remains a mystery that can only be
solved by Kati going on an unforgettable journey – not just to a
bungalow by the sea and an apartment in the big city – but a journey
to her past and to decisions that will affect her future.
Underpinned by ritual and philosophy, the book gives insight into
another culture and a moving depiction of one child’s experience.
(10+)
Little Wing,
Joanne Horniman. Allen & Unwin 2006
Little Wing
is the sequel to Mahalia, which was an Honour Book in the
2002 CBCA Awards. Mahalia is the name of the baby born to Emily and
Matt while they were still at school. The novel of the same name was
Matt’s story; Little Wing describes Emily’s journey to find
herself while living with her godmother in the Blue Mountains.
There, fortuitously, she meets Martin, a teacher who is an at-home
dad with his delightful four year old, Pete. Through the easy
relationship with Martin and Pete (although the wife and mother Cat,
is less than thrilled by the friendship), ‘Emmy’, as Pete calls her,
moves through the deeply depressive phase arising from the birth,
her mother’s uptight non-acceptance of the situation and her fears
that she might not love the baby enough; might even hurt her. The
unstated condition appears to be a kind of post-natal depression,
including periods of self harm, but Emily is loved and understood in
the novel, not pathologised. The characters are the novel’s greatest
strength. They are delicately captured with respect and affection
and subtly reveal their thoughts and feelings. This is a very fine
novel that should receive accolades as its predecessor did. (15+)
The Five Lost Aunts of Harriet Bean,
Alexander McCall Smith. Bloomsbury 2006
The first in a mini-series starring the indomitable Harriet Bean and
her unusual aunties; it’s from the author of the best-selling No.
1 Ladies’ Detective Agency novels. Harriet, who is an
exceptionally resourceful young person, appears to live with her
extremely vague and mildly crabby dad. She assumes this is all the
family she has until her father mentions, in a desultory fashion,
that he has five sisters, so she has five aunts…somewhere.
Naturally, Harriet goes detecting, following small clues until she
has located all of the missing aunties. And a very strange lot they
are: there’s Aunt Veronica who is prodigiously strong; Aunt
Harmonica who is understudy to opera singers (because she can throw
her voice); bossy Aunt Majolica; and the terrible twins, Japonica
and Thessalonika, who run a detective agency, because (of course)
they can read minds. Once assembled, the family can pose to complete
the picture left unfinished many years ago. This little novel is
written with unpretentious, but un-condescending prose and provides
a page-turning chapter book for readers of 9+ to enjoy.
Looking for X,
Deborah Ellis. Allen & Unwin 2003 edition
First published in 2000, this is one of Ellis’s more compact,
coherent and imaginative works. Kyber (her chosen name because she
intends to become an explorer) has a complicated life: with Kyber’s
help, her mum is just coping with autistic twins in a small flat;
money is very scarce and getting through a day in school after a very
disturbed night is a challenge. Being wrongly accused of school
vandalism is the last straw and Kyber risks a journey alone to the
city to try to prove her innocence and the true existence of her
friend ‘X’. The strength of the main character and the family ties of
love and loyalty despite the odds are heartening and convincing. The
novel makes a refreshing change from Ellis’s focus on foreign cultural
contexts to face social realities closer to home. (10+)
Heartbeat,
Sharon Creech. Bloomsbury 2004
A heart warming, Carnegie winning verse novel by this acclaimed
American author captures an intense period of time in Annie’s life:
her grandpa’s health is failing, her Mum’s having a baby and her best
friend Max is facing a test that will dramatically affect his future.
This is a beautiful, moving, lyrical and persuasive text about birth
and death and choices and finding balance in life. (11+)
Clair de Lune,
Cassandra Golds. Puffin 2004
An esoteric little novel about a child who is kept, like a caged bird,
at the top of a very tall, very narrow, very old building. Her mother,
a renowned ballerina, appears to have ‘died of love’ and her
grandmother is determined to protect Clair from the same fate, at any
cost. There is a performing mouse, a mysterious monk and hidden
passage ways for secret journeys – all very peculiar, but engaging and
magical in a fairytale way. (9+)
Being Bindy,
Alyssa Brugman. Allen & Unwin 2004
Written for a younger audience than Brugman’s previous novels, this
one bears the hallmark of her perceptive characterisation, but the
pace is somewhat slow and the use of capitalisation to render dialogue
‘contemporary’ irritates. In fact, I couldn’t quite take the
‘awfulness’ of Bindy’s circumstances seriously, even allowing for the
self-dramatisation of the average pre-teen. Sure, there is school
bitchiness and Bindy is struggling not only with her parents’
separation, but also her father’s potential re-marriage – to the
mother of her erstwhile best friend – but her victimisation by her
peers seems relatively minor and her sudden capacity to forgive
strikes a distinctly unconvincing note. (11+)
How to Make a
Bird,
Martine Murray. Allen & Unwin 2003
Murray is an impressive new talent on the Australian literary scene.
Cedar B Hartley combined humour and pathos with charm,
simplicity and insight and so does this new novel. Mannie is an
unusual child with unusual wisdom, so, when she leaves home in her
mother’s best long red dress to ride her bike to Melbourne, somehow,
we trust her instincts. The journey has a slightly surreal quality
reminiscent of Cormier’s I Am the Cheese, and yet Mannie’s
experiences are very much grounded in the contemporary grit of St
Kilda’s seedy pub scene. It is an intriguing novel written with an
original wry tone; a novel about important matters such as losing and
seeking and creating new futures. (13+)
A Company of
Fools,
Deborah Ellis. Allen & Unwin 2003
This engaging narrative is related by a choir boy at the time of the
Great Plague. Henri, an orphan, has been growing up fairly happily
within the reassuring routines of the Abbey of St Luc. He’s shy,
sickly and solitary until the street urchin, Micah blows into his life
with winds of trouble and change. When the plague begins to devastate
nearby villages and towns, the Abbey forms a ‘Company of Fools’ to
bring some laughter into the climate of misery. Overall, it’s an
interesting tale of greed, pride, desperation and resilience for those
who enjoy historical settings, perhaps including fans of Catherine
Jinx’s Pagan series. (11+)
Girl Underground,
Morris Gleitzman. Penguin 2004
Gleitzman has never hidden his sympathies with the plight of refugees
and his disdain for the politicians who seek to justify incarceration
with what he believes are false arguments. Bridget is looking for a
quiet life, trying to hide the existence of her criminal family as she
attempts to fit in to her new posh school. However, Menzies, with his
privileged upbringing, is determined to rescue two kids from their
desert detention centre and to reunite them with their father.
Naturally, Bridget and her eccentric family have to get involved. The
story narrowly avoids stereotypes and its blatantly biased political
views are open to challenge, but, with Gleitzman’s capacity for
hilarity under dire circumstances, it’s a rollicking good read and
raises issues worthy of thoughtful discussion. (10+)
Brilliance of
the Moon,
(Tales of the Otori Book 3) Lian Hearn. Hodder 2004
While nothing has yet come up to the luminous quality of Book 1, Book
3 reclaims the power of a master storyteller. Perhaps it’s more
gripping than Book 2 because there’s more action and tension; perhaps
it’s because love having been hard won, there’s so much more to lose
and we’re more attached to the star-crossed lovers? Otori Takeo, with
his ill-fated bride Kaede Shirakawa, returns to revenge his adoptive
father, reclaim the domain of the Maruyama and take his place as head
of the kingdom. Inevitably, for peace, a heavy price must be paid in
blood. Kaede is captured as a prize by the chilling Lord Fujiwara,
Takeo survives trials almost beyond endurance, and, as the moon waxes
and wanes, fortunes are made and lost and destinies fulfilled. While
violence may appear necessary to thwart evil, Takeo begins to wonder
whether revenge ever brings solace. The novel is another
tour-de-force, massive in its coverage of time, place, culture and
event (it contains a necessary five page cast list) and indeed, is
‘brilliant’. (16+)
By the River,
Steven Herrick. Allen & Unwin 2004
Herrick is such a natural poet. Who else could take a small town with
its quarrels and sorrows and turn it into a lyrical love story? Who
else could turn a phrase like: Our father’s mood has been left
scattered over the yard, like grass seed, eaten by quiet birds….
Or his father, his wife dead, watches his sons sleeping and goes to:
Listen all night to the miraculous sound of her presence. Harry
the narrator, remembers his life as a fourteen year old in a small
country town. He remembers Linda drowned in the flood, and, in another
flood, realises that he has to leave or be ‘submerged’ pulled down by
the ‘undercurrents’ of parochial life. Another true and tender message
about learning to live with what has been and what might have been and
moving on while respecting the past for what it has given. (14+)
How to Disappear
Completely and Never Be Found,
Sara Nickerson. Harper Collins 2002
A remarkable first novel told from the point of view of a fatherless
12-year-old girl. Margaret’s dad disappeared in a mysterious drowning
accident four years ago and she exists in the silent, over-ordered
world her distraught mother has created for her and her 7-year-old
sister, Sophie. Finally, Margaret resolves to unravel the mystery of
her strange family and, backed by her new friends, she follows the
clues to the bitter end. But, the end, as is so often the way, is
sweet as well as bitter and healing and re-connection glimmer as
possibilities. (11+)
Sleep Rough
Tonight,
Ian Bone. Penguin 2004
I have liked Ian Bone’s work. That Dolphin Thing was a gently
poised emotional experience and The Song of an Innocent Bystander
was enthralling. This novel, however, reads a lot like ‘middle period
Southall’ - full of teen angst and tedious self-pity. So, Alex’s
parents have separated; so, his mum wants to get on with her life; so
he’s a bit lonesome and embroiled in an identity crisis. But his dad
seems an OK guy, a bit tired, but trying to live by solid values and
Marta, Alex’s friend, while staunchly religious, IS prepared to go out
on a very skinny moral limb for him. So, why does Alex bait the
seniors till he gets dunked in the school toilets, and why does he
follow a loser like ‘The Jockey’ into the big city to ‘sleep rough’,
thieve, bash and lose his innocence? Obviously, this is all about Alex
proving how tough he is through a predictable mix of physical trials
and emotional games. I found this among the less interesting
rites-of-passage boy-book things. (14+)
Dragonkeeper,
Carole Wilkinson. Black Dog Books 2003
One of the new sub-genre of ‘exotic’ literature, Dragonkeeper
combines the lure of Ancient China in the Han Dynasty and the magic of
a talking, hurting, questing dragon. ‘The girl’ as she is known by her
brutal master, reluctantly joins ‘the last dragon’, Danzi, on an epic
journey across China carrying a precious ‘stone’ that must be
protected. Ping, as the dragon names her, discovers such unexpected
strength, wisdom and courage that, finally, she willingly accepts the
onerous responsibility of being ‘dragon keeper’ for the rest of her
days. (13+)
Chanda’s Secret,
Allan Stratton. Allen & Unwin 2004
The book is a moving expose of the enormity of the AIDS pandemic in
South Africa and its effects on the lives of ordinary people. Chanda
is 16, her mother is sick and people around her keep dying of a
mysterious illness that seems to strike fear into the heart of the
community. Chanda is determined to tear down the curtain of silence
and secrecy and to reveal the truth so that people can openly find
hope, help and comfort. The ‘novel’ is told in a plain tone of
reportage and it rings true and tells an important story that the
world should hear. (13+)
The Book of Dead
Days,
Marcus Sedgwick. Dolphin 2003
Sedgwick, as we’ll remember from The Dark Horse, writes in a
compelling, melodramatic style and this novel has many of the hall
marks of high Gothic, including evil magical machinations, greedy
pacts with the devil and young and vulnerable protagonists at the
mercy of dark forces. In this, we have as well, an intriguing mixture
of primitive science and sorcery, two engaging young heroes who
display all the qualities of loyalty and persistence lacking in their
elders and an atmospheric chase beneath a decaying, corrupt and
violent city. ‘Boy’, a child with no past, is servant to Valerian, a
magician who is on a desperate search for a book that will save him
from facing his hour of reckoning. By best fortune, Boy meets the
quick witted girl Willow, and, together they unravel the quarrel
between Valerian and Keppler that is at the heart of the mystery. The
endless chase and caricature characterisation wear thin, but if one
can suspend disbelief and enter the genre, the novel is entertaining.
(13+)
Secret Scribbled
Notebooks,
Joanne Horniman. Allen & Unwin 2004
I thought I was over diary-style novels ever since Adrian Mole – or
was it Penny Pollard? Anyway, even John Marsden can’t render it a
complex form and its superficial simplicity soon tires. Horniman,
however, uses the diaries more as device than form and what we really
have is an intimate first person narrative in the red notebook with
‘side stories’ held like dreamscapes in the yellow and blue ones. Kate
is 17; doing final exams, dreaming of escape to the big city and
wondering what it would be like to fall in love. Her sister Sophie
knows all about love. She has just given birth to Anastasia, who,
being her own little person, soon becomes ‘Hettie’. They live with Lil
in a run down guest house, having been abandoned by their shadowy
parents many years ago. From Horniman’s writing in Mahalia, we
have come to expect to be submerged in the milky, sleepy, obsessive
world of a parent and new baby; from A Charm of Powerful Trouble,
we have come to expect a meditation on the forces between sisters and
those between lovers. This is another sensuous, evocative novel based
on reflections about growing up and the circles of connection that
bind us for life. (15+)
Tiff and the
Trout,
David Metzenthen. Puffin 2004
Tiff is in her last year of primary school, loving her life up in the
tiny mountain town of Tilgong, enjoying the reassuring familiarity of
school and long-held friendships. Unfortunately, her mother longs for
the freedom and sunshine of the coast and Tiff has awful intimations
of major change. Her father is living down the mountain with her
9-year-old brother Nathan, and Lane the try-hard butch local has moved
in with Mum, so the comfortable patterns of family life are already
fractured. A dangerous encounter with the wild waters of the Warrigal
and Mum’s offer of a job in Surfers bring things to a head and
decisions have to be made. As the seasons change and ‘Old Bob’ the
giant trout is caught and released, Tiff gains the maturity and
perspective to realise that change is not only inevitable, but it
offers excitement and fun as well as challenge. Metzenthen’s approach
to emotional matters is, as ever, subtle and balanced and this is a
very readable, reflective novel that would help any child confronting
shifts in family life to feel more positive and informed. (12+)
Circles of Stone,
Pamela Rushby. Angus & Robertson 2003
This is an intriguing novel using time slip techniques to bring two
girls, one a contemporary Australian, the other a Celtic girl from
2000 years ago, together. Lea and her friends are hiking in the
predictably bitter highlands of Scotland, when the body of a young
girl is discovered in the peat by a group of student archaeologists.
Lea has already ‘met’ Ana when she accidentally travelled back to that
time at a modern Beltane ceremony. The girls realised immediately that
they both had unusual powers and tried to protect each other from the
violence bred of superstition and fear. Unfortunately, while Lea
‘escapes’ through the time tunnel at the centre of the circle of
stones, Ana is sacrificed by her own people to appease the gods. The
technique of parallel stories in different text types might test some
adolescent readers, but the plot is absorbing and the sinister
backdrop of ‘Scots’ Stonehenge’ adds atmosphere and mystery. (14+)
Wolf Brother,
Michelle Paver. Orion Great Britain 2004
A fascinating tale set in a Nordic wilderness about 6000 years ago.
Roving clans occupy their allocated parts of the land – the Whale by
the sea, the Deer in the forest. Torak is a child born of the union
between Wolf and Red Deer. No longer a child, but not yet a man, he is
left alone when his father is ravaged by bear possessed by demons.
Having lived as an outcast, he knows nothing of clan ways and is not
welcomed when captured by the Raven clan. He is, however, recognised
both because of old grudges and because he fits the image of ‘The
Listener’ who must follow the prophesy and save the forest and all who
live there. The first in the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series,
the novel is rich in ancient magic, superstition and ritual with a
strong thread of malice and suspense. Paver evokes the frozen
landscape exquisitely and takes us willingly into this primitive world
and Torak’s desperate quest. A book for ‘literary readers’ of 14+.
Two Way Cut,
Garry Disher. Hodder 2004
This is a slightly surreal novel in the manner of
Mulholland Drive.
Leah, an ex-cop, is on the run from ex-colleagues who are out to get
her because she ‘dobbed’ after a drunken party that ended in sexual
assault. Tess, it would appear, is also on the run from boarding
school and from some pretty angry drug barons that she’s cheated. A
mixture of thriller, detective fiction and teen adventure, the novel
is fast-paced, entertaining and contemporary. (16+)
Wolfchild,
Rosanne Hawke. Lothian 2003
An historical fantasy with the cadences of Cornish folk tales, the
novel is set in the lost land of Lyonnese in 1099. Raw has become an
outcast from his tribe because he broke the law as a serf and poached
his master’s game – a misdemeanour for which his father paid with his
life. Raw has to stay hidden for a year and a day, but he has been
drawn from his solitude by Morwenna. She is of marrying age, but
dreads being wed to the callous miller’s son who watches her, Raw and
the wolf jealousy and with intent to harm. Finally, a massive natural
calamity strikes the village and all must flee to higher ground and
people must choose between friendship and the ancient ways. The story
is beautifully crafted, true to its setting, history and narrative
tone but unlikely to appeal to readers seeking contemporary realism or
colloquial dialogue. (14+)
Nights in the Sun, Colin Bowles. Penguin 2003
A
typically ‘clean’ telling of a tale
by Bowles. Set in Broome in 1926, a tale of racism and exploitation,
of violence and horrible death, but also of crossing the boundaries
and connecting across cultures. I’d love the chance to share
the novel to kids in Broome today, because in essence not much has
changed; maybe exchange Aboriginal people today for the Japanese
diver and you have the same sad saga of exploitation and hopelessness. Told
with balance, humour and commendable lack of preaching - as Bowles
always does. (13+)
Eva’s
Angel, Garry Disher. Hodder 2003
Initially,
I was disappointed, finding this novel an ‘ordinary’ boy/girl romance, in oh-so romantic Italy,
with an overlay of artistic pretension; ‘not up to your usual insights
and depth Garry’, I thought. Then, in comes the sinister Nye,
artistic mentor, beloved of the glitterati, and probably a sadistic
pervert and rapist. So, the story, in the end, is not ordinary,
though it ends abruptly and its appeal may be limited to the bohemian
set - if such a thing still exists.
Malka, Mirjam Pressler. MacMillan 2002
There’s
a flood of stories at present around the persecution of the Jews
(The Girl in the Red Coat,
Hanna’s Suitcase) however,
this one seems more complete as a novel than most. All of the
books with this theme seem to suffer poetically, in translation. Malka
is separated from her mother and sister in the flight from the Nazis. She
survives somehow, but scratching for an existence takes its toll
on a child, she will never be the carefree innocent she was entitled
to be; she will never be free of the horrors she witnessed on her
hasty road to a rushed maturity.
Mudlark, Michael Stephens. Angus and Robertson 2000
Jim
gets his much-awarded chance to take home the class pet, a rescued
mudlark. Mudlark escapes
and Jim’s journey to find him echoes his own journey from denial,
to acceptance of his mother’s dying; from Jim’s status
as outsider, to acceptance of his difference. (12+)
Starseeker, Tim Bowler. Oxford 2003
An
extraordinary story of a boy who’s
fallen in with the wrong crowd and who is required to commit burglary
or else the gang will get him. In his unwilling break-and-entry,
Luke discovers a blind child and realises she’s been abducted. His
attempt to put things right is nearly, literally, ‘the death of him’,
but the saving of his life is also a liberation and a chance to move
on past his father’s death. A rich, enthralling, lyrical novel
with a beautiful, undercurrent of music that might, unfortunately,
put many teen readers off. (14+)
A Little Piece of Ground,
Elizabeth Laird. MacMillan 2003
Elizabeth Laird always tackles the
hard subject (Red Sky in the Morning) and her experience
of living in the Middle East infuses this novel with authenticity. It is a story about Palestinian
boys living under Israeli occupation. It is beyond the television
drama we witness regularly. It places us there, no longer observers,
but involved as we should be, wherever there is oppression and loss
of a daily quality of life, for children who should be entitled to
our care. This is not a story about boys looking for a piece
of ground on which to play football, it is a story about living in
constant fear and no-one being the winner - if only, as Hanan Ashrawi
said: ‘we could claim the collective narrative, while respecting
distinctive difference’.
The Angel of Barbican High,
Michelle A Taylor. UQP 2001
The
verse novel is increasingly in evidence for adolescent readers
and this one performs its task well. Jez
is in year 11, with love and a bright future in her gaze, when tragedy
strikes and for a time she loses her place in the world. Her
family patiently support her through her grief and loss of her beloved
Nick, but it takes Tommy - a persistent friend -and long talks with
her ‘angel’ to move beyond her sense of guilt: ‘My tears roll
like boulders, like spreading light, such heaviness, such relief’ - it’s
an unpretentious style,
but effective.
The Full Story,
Caswell & Chien. UQP 2002
An
intense story of growing up in multi-cultural Australia; of the
difficulties of forging an identity
in the context of some cultural loss. A story of love, artistry,
courage, focus and growing understanding. The father is a particularly
moving portrait and the son’s final acceptance brings a form of integration
and a kind of peace. (16+)
The Same Stuff as Stars,
Katherine Paterson. OUP 2002
Another
exquisitely crafted original story from this acclaimed writer. Angel is old before her time,
worn down by the responsibility of caring not only for her cantankerous
little brother, but also her bitter, curmudgeonly old Great Grandma. Her
mum has dumped them all and run off with yet another loser, her dad’s
on the run from gaol and her beloved, damaged, star-gazing uncle
is dying. Only Paterson could hold this tale of woe together
and come out with her familiar ‘sagacity, humour and hope’.
Tomorrow, The Dark, Ken Catran. Lothian 2002
Extremely
well-written. A post
holocaust novel with the familiar features of desperate, barely-surviving
humans fending off the evil ‘Dry things’ that come at sunset, young
men in makeshift armour, warrior bands, near anarchy. Catran
produces an extremely competent variation of the horror genre, tense
and gripping, but with the added bonus of foregrounding the ethics
of violence and its effects on humans over time.
Only the Heart,
Caswell & Chien. UQP 1997
The
novel has been around a while, but it’s an honest appraisal of the complexities of making a life
in a new country. It provides insight into the gains and losses
of the Vietnamese Boat People, who made it and stayed and the novel
acts as a fitting precursor to The Full Story.
Rain May and Captain Daniel,
Catherine Bateson. UQP 2002
What
is it with C.B? She always
makes me cry. Her telling is as simple and clear and true as
that of Newbery winner, Patricia McLoughlin. Rain moved to
the country when her parents separated and there (thank heavens),
the angst ends. The adults and the kids are perfectly capable
of behaving badly, but also of being loving, selfless and resourceful. It’s
a little serendipitous at the end, but heartening. (11+)
Do-Wrong Ron,
Steven Herrick. Allen & Unwin 2003
Poor
Ron, everything he touches turns to - at least - dung. But Ron’s heart’s in the right place
and with Isabelle (who has all the get up and go), they get up and
get the whole town humming, with happiness and fun and togetherness. (11+)
Wolfspell, Anna
Ciddor, Allen & Unwin
An
ancient Viking-influenced tale with modern forebodings. Oddo (who can do spells) and Thora
(who can’t but lives with spell makers) set off (again) to save their
home and village from the ravages of taxes, tax men and corrupt individuals. A
strongly imagined secondary world on a par with Rodda’s Rowan series,
with the same strong values of courage, loyalty and friendship, but
with the overlay of the Nordic tradition. (11+)
The Messenger, Markus Zusak. Pan 2002
One
of the most brilliant novels I’ve
ever read. Typically Zusak - spare, punchy, dangerous and riveting. Ed
Kennedy is a self -made, family-induced full time loser and part
time cab driver, until he is selected as The Messenger, chosen to
journey through strangers’ lives, helping, and hurting to help,
as necessary, until he reaches his own, personal, painful end point
and claims his destiny through challenging his past.
Of a Boy, Sonya Hartnett. Viking 2002
I
have always admired Hartnett’s very
original voice and the risks she takes narratologically usually pay
off. Of a Boy, however, while poignant and suspenseful,
is too slow-moving and introspective to maintain the engagement of
most readers. The
ending is predictable enough to disappoint, while still chilling
to the bone.
Cedar B.Hartley,
Martine Murray. Allen & Unwin 2002
An
absolutely delightful tale of a (relatively) happy, unselfconscious
girl in transition from childhood. Cedar.
B discovers that the world is both bigger and badder and also kinder,
than she had ever imagined. The world the young people create
in the story is one of action and event, community and care, risk
and fulfilment; it gives us hope and we hope they succeed - big time!
Walking Home With Marie Claire,
Kirsty Murray. Allen & Unwin 2002
The
novel moves from a schoolgirl ‘girlfriend’ story,
to a walk on the wild side. Pauline is an ordinary girl, with
an ordinary family, in an ordinary town. But when she signs
a pact in blood to be loyal forever to Marie Claire Tierney, the
new ‘P.J.’ enters a strange adventure in her life, which nearly ends
in big tears. (13+)
The
Rag & Bone Shop,
Robert Cormier. Penguin 2002
Cormier’s last novel demonstrates
the power of his totally chilling imagination and his understanding
of the very dark side of human nature. Did Jason kill young
Alicia Bartlett - one of the few people who gave him any time? Is
he likely to admit guilt, simply because, as a damaged child, he
believes himself capable of greatest evil? Or, if evil is in
the eye of the beholder, is it contagious, leading you on to commit
the very act for which you’ve been forced to confess? A
very solid thriller.
The House of the Scorpion,
Nancy Farmer. 2000
A thoroughly contemporary novel from
an original writer (A Girl Named Disaster). Science
fiction as ever, raises philosophical issues of absolute relevance
to decisions faced by 21st century
society. Matt is alone and while he enjoys the good life while
El Patron lives, he realises that, as a clone, at best he’s a repository
for ‘replacement bits’, and seen as an outcast, not quite human. In
his struggle to create ‘a self’ Matt comes to understand the power
relations that dominate this ‘Brave New World’. (13+)
The Wind on Fire Trilogy. William Nicholson. Random House 2000
The first The Wind Singer,
was stunning with its insights into power and political control
of a population. It canvassed all that we have learned
about rebellion, courage and the struggle for liberation.
Slaves of the Mastery. William
Nicholson. Random House 2001
This is a worthy sequel to The
Wind Singer, rich in
character and adventure, though all the main philosophical positions
have already been outlined.
Fire Song, William Nicholson. Random House 2002
Third in The Wind on Fire trilogy. Tends, as series often do, to suffer
from repetition of theme and over-familiarity of characters. It
is bleak, challenging and occasionally preachy, but finally offers
a conclusion of sorts though it lacks the satisfaction of a good
wrap up.
Artemis Fowl - The Arctic Incident. Eoin Colfer. Penguin 2002
A
thoroughly post modern, total hoot. Artemis
heads to the arctic to save his father from his blackmailers and
is forced to join his arch-enemy to outwit the goblins and their
evil masters. Deserves to be in a Nintendo game.
Pincus
Corbett’s Strange Adventure, Odo
Hirsch. Allen & Unwin 2002
The
man’s a genius. It’s like
when Mull of Kintyre was declared an ancient folk song! In
Pincus, Hirsch has recreated the tales of Pinocchio, Faust, Hans
Andersen and the Three Musketeers in an age-old, folkloric tradition. Pincus,
the tailor is a grey, ageing, nondescript figure, who is transformed
by a mysterious stranger in the middle of the night, into a colourful,
magical being. As such, (inevitably) he is called upon to rescue
the Prime Minister from his secret melancholic silence. With
secrets revealed, life resumed, the nation saved, Pincus returns
to his old self Éor does he? Another mix of comedy and intrigue
for adventurous readers. A subtle touch of satire and quite
engaging. (10+)
Saving Francesca, Melina Marchetta. Penguin 2003
I
thought at first didn’t like this
book. I thought at first, it was yet another teen-boy-girl-school
thing with nothing special. But, it is. Marchetta is
special, and damn it, she’s done the unmentionable and cracked
a stunning second novel after Looking for Alibrandi. It’s funny, sad, touching, moving, and true
and flows flawlessly with wit and dialogue and character veracity - and
a touch of Marxist-feminist cultural studies thrown in. How
can anyone’s nervous breakdown be this intriguing?
Horrendo’s
Curse, Anna Fienberg. Allen & Unwin 2002
As
the blurb says: ‘a rollicking adventure
on the high seas’; not for the squeamish who can’t handle ugly behaviour,
fierce fights and endless descriptions of abominable food. Great
fun for the 10+.
Otto and the Flying Twins,
Charlotte Haptie. Hodder 2002
In
the manner of Nicholson’s Wind
on Fire series, this
is an inventive, often amusing, always telling tale for those 12+
who want to move on from Harry Potter.
The Ice Boy, Patricia Elliott. Hodder 2002
A
surreal exploration of loss and of a recovery that comes through
making connections and taking action
against evil. An interesting, introspective novel with a touch
of magic.
Making Laws for Clouds, Nick Earls. Penguin 2002
A
convincing narrative of growing up in a small town; boy meets girl,
folks find out and you spend
the rest of summer persuading everyone you have more on your mind
than sex. True and touching. (15+)
Mum, Me and 19C,
David McRobbie, Allen & Unwin 2002.
A
bit heavy-handed in the time travel trek back through history,
as Cara and her Mum are transported to
an historical village over a century ago, experiencing the ghastliness
of nineteenth century plumbing and the limited lives of women.
Tom Jones Saves the World, Steven
Herrick. UQP 2002
Quirky,
racy, witty - Herrick ‘verse’ for
teens.
Volcano Boy, Libby Hathorn. Lothian 2001
An
amazing tour-de-force of literary energy. A prose-poem of
growing up.
Nirvana’s
Children, Ranulfo. UQP 2002
A
cult novel in the manner of Zusak - black,
funny, slick and very readable, especially for less literary young
adults.
Nathan Nuttboard Hits the Beach,
Anthony Eaton. UQP 2002
They
don’t come much sillier than
the Nuttboard family - or much funnier either. The olds are
naturally embarrassing, the young, just embarrassed being there. Friendships
(and even loveships) are struck, bullies disempowered and it’s
not a bad summer after all.
Forbidden, Anthony Hill. Penguin 2002
A
gentle, lyrical exploration of what it means to have your music,
your sound, your culture, and your voice
taken from you, and of a courageous boy who brings it back. (12+)
The
Whale’s Child, Gillian Rubenstein. Hodder 2002
An
original concept of a boy who is poor, struggling to make the swimming
team and who discovers mysterious
connections to sea-fairing mammals which bring him success. But
is it worth it?
Lilly Quench and the Dragon
of Mote Ely,
Natalie Jane Prior. Hodder 2002
Another in the series of the dare-devil
girl hero with a dragon friend; engaging for the age group of 9+.
Boy Overboard, Morris Gleitzman. Penguin 2002
Boat
people, kids surviving, dreams on a journey to the ‘Promised Land’. Ok,
but a bit superficial.
Rowan
of the Bukshah, Emily Rodda. Scholastic 2003
As
engrossing as one might expect, but deeper and more learned then
previous titles. Extending
younger readers as Rowan grows to manhood and responsibility. Wisdom,
as ever, is hard won and not through ‘runes and spells’ but through
facing one’s worst fears, nearly losing that which is most
precious, and triumphing through the loyalty of good friends. (10+)
The Flight of the Emu, Rachel Anderson. Hodder 2001
A
typically insightful, moving story of life as one of society’s rejects. Never
quite getting it right, up against it from the start, surviving
almost out of cussedness!
A Charm of Powerful Trouble,
Joanne Horniman. Allen & Unwin 2002
A
gentle introspective exploration of a young girl’s journey from childhood to maturity and of the tales/ties
that bind women through generations of guilt and love. Sensuous
and deeply evocative, the novel holds appeal for females sensitive
to relationships between humans and the natural world and thoughtful
about the paradoxical relationship between love and despair.
The Dark Horse, Marcus Sedgwick. Orion 2002
Another
Guardian short list novel, but this time completely different. Billed as ‘the young Alan
Garner’ Sedgwick certainly weaves a classic tale of mystery, magic
and the darkness of survival in primitive times. Set in a distant
time and place, the ‘storm people’ live by the rituals of the old
ways until a ragged, howling child comes into their midst. ‘Mouse’ the
foundling, is destined to bring to life a terrifying legend and to
face the storm and ultimately to choose between courage and loyalty
and betrayal and slavery.
Warehouse, Keith Gray. Red Fox 2002
Short
listed for the Guardian Fiction Award. A strangely unconvincing saga of life as one of society’s
young outcasts, marginalised by the mainstream, fleeing abuse and
yet at the mercy of fellow ferals. The warehouse, known to
the sub-culture that lives there as ‘Crap Palace’ is run by Len,
a kindly reformed addict who takes kids in as a safety net of last
resort. The characterisation fails to jell, the speech idioms
sound forced and I get the feeling Keith Gray wrote this a safe distance
from reality, but the plot’s fast-paced, violent and potentially
engaging. (15+)
Walking Naked,
Alyssa Brugman. Allen & Unwin 2002
Sharply
accurate observation of teenage girls and their very sophisticated
techniques for excluding, marginalising
and ridiculing any who fail to conform to the ‘group criteria’ for
acceptance. A powerful exposé of the subtext beneath many
kids’ lives
and illumination of the motivation that drives their sometimes desperate
actions. (15+)
Eglantine,
Catherine Jinks. Allen & Unwin 2002
A sweet, well-told story about the
ghost of an early 20th century girl who dies of anorexia,
leaving a romantic tale she longs to finish. Entertaining (mildly)
reading for 10+.
The Ropemaker, Peter Dickinson. MacMillan 2002
Dickinson
has been the worthy recipient of many significant awards, including
the Carnegie Medal. This
is his most recent foray into serious fantasy and he brings to the
task his rich imaginative gaze, his deep understanding of human nature
and the excellence of his literary craftsmanship. The Ropemaker is spell-binding. Its plot lines do indeed twine and intertwine,
every strand essential and brilliantly interconnected to construct
for us great philosophical debates and tensions, as the best fantasy
always does. Two young people and two old, embarked on a treacherous
journey to reclaim the magic that had kept the valley safe for so
many long years. Even if they succeed, it’s a quest that will
need to be repeated over generations, as folks forget how greed,
violence and power ultimately corrupt and recommitment to a truer,
kinder way is required. (13+)
Across the Nightingale Floor,
Liam Hearn. Hodder 2002
It’s the season for the exotic and
this epic work, the first in a fantasy series is set in ancient Japan
in the mythical mountain kingdom of the Otori. Takeo possesses
the supernatural talents of the tribe, shape changing, invisibility
and preternatural, hearing and these skills take him into the midst
of the battle of good against exceptional evil.
The Shell House, Linda Newbery. David Fickling Books 2002
A
sophisticated novel short-listed for the Whitbread Award. The Shell House explores
love, sexuality and spirituality across two generations. Photographing
the semi ruined Graveney Hall, Greg becomes enmeshed in the mystery
disappearance of Graveney’s last heir and embroiled in his
own search for a way to live as a young contemporary male being true
to himself.
Journey to the River Sea,
Eva Ibbotson. MacMillan 2001
An
intriguingly different novel with an exotic Amazonian setting,
bizarre characters and neatly constructed
plot. Appealing in a rather old-fashioned, Miss Marple kind
of way, complete with a governess with lethal hat pin.
When You Wake To Find Me Gone,
Maureen McCarthy. Penguin 2000
A
cleverly-woven tapestry of stories of people whose lives are inexorably
intertwined. Kit has it
made: she’s young, free, living it up in the city with her friends,
falling in love with her drama tutor, getting a little drunk at parties,
until her ‘sister’ is seriously injured. Kit reluctantly heads
home and finds that her parentage and her past are far more complicated
than she knew. Following the trail to Ireland, Kit realises
that life is full of complex moral decisions and we live with the
consequences.
A New Kind of Dreaming, Anthony Eaton. UQP 2001
A serious challenge to the vicious
intensity of Holes,
this hell-on-earth to which young offenders are exiled, is in the
burning top end of Australia. The brutality of the local cop, the
hold he has over the social worker, the dark secrets the town chooses
to keep hidden, all combine to create a gripping murder mystery with
no holds barred. It’s a fitting setting for Jamie’s
journey (away from crime) into a more honest, trusting future.
Blue, Sue Mayfield. Hodder 2001
The
blurb reads like your average ‘obsessive
teenager girl becomes anorexic’ story. In fact, it’s a complex
description of the subtle intricacies of calculated bullying and
the devastating effects on the ‘victim’. The novel
should be compulsory reading for adults who downplay the seriousness
of malicious
spiteful adolescent behaviour.
The Kite Rider, Geraldine McCaughran. Oxford
A
totally innovative novel of great imaginative power from the pen
of a consummate story teller. Gou
Haoyou watches his father die in a cruel ritual testing of the winds
atop the cargo boat for which he crewed. In his turn he becomes
a ‘kite rider’, but infinitely more famous as he travels the length
and breadth of ancient China. McCaughran creates an exotic
atmosphere wherein accurate detail and invention blend flawlessly. (14+)
The Girl from the Sea, James Aldridge. Penguin
Aldridge
is an original storyteller. He
brings together an extraordinary cast of characters - Beau, crippled
and almost blind, eccentric Aunt Mimi, and Lelee, the wild daughter
of a smuggler - and sets them all ‘adrift’ in the Mediterranean. A
Provencal adventure about the competition for lost gold mixed with
a rite of passage novel and culinary notebook. It would appeal to
able older readers. (15+)
Painted Love Letters, Catherine Bateson. UQP
A
poignant account of a dying father and the family accommodating
to his imminent loss. Bateson
writes from the heart with a sincerity and clarity that moves readers
and leaves them wiser. She employs the verse form to maximum
advantage, distilling the essence of event and encapsulating feelings
with a perfect choice of image. (15+)
Runestone, Anna Ciddor. Viking (Book 1)
A
strongly-imagined work which takes the changeling motif and blends
it with a tale of magical powers,
powerful runes and adventure. Two children are exchanged at
birth, leaving Thora the non-magical girl with the spell workers
and Oddo, the skilled magician, with a prosaic farming family that
frowns on this magic nonsense. Soundly written and engaging. (10+)
Love that Dog, Sharon Creech. Bloomsbury 2001
A
short verse novel about ‘a boy and
his dog’, but also about a boy finding a way to communicate. If
all the boys were like this and all the teachers were like this one,
the world would be a more sensitive caring place. Delightfully original. (10+)
Long Walk to Lavender Street,
Belinda Hollyer. Hodder 2002
Part
of the ‘survivors’ series of
fictionalised narratives about young people caught up in real-life
conflicts. Through the eyes of the young protagonist, we learn
the hardships of being of mixed race in Cape Town, South Africa in
1966. The brutal cruelty to individuals and the overall inequity
of the politics of superiority and oppression come through with chilling
accuracy.
Nostradamus, John Larkin. Hodder 2001
Fun
from beginning to end; pacy, witty and nearly convincing. Ian heads to Cambridge when his Mum
and Dad have midlife crises, to stay with the very olds, or so he
thinks. Several elderly confusions later and we’re in stitches. Even
the rather obvious denouement is a chuckle. (13+)
Asking for Trouble, Mary K Pershall. Puffin 2001
Mel
is coping with way too much in her nearly fifteenth year - her
Mum has a chronic illness, her lovable young brother is seriously
weird and her girlfriends are all making
terrifying life decisions. So Mel distracts herself with bad-boy
Luke, until she slowly realises she’s ‘asking for trouble’.
The White Ship,
Jackie French. Angus & Robertson 2002
Jackie
French has woven a clever blend of historical fantasy, folklore
and lessons for living, to engage
the wistful reader in this dream-like tale. Michel and the
other characters are forced to flee their families and home in search
of a place free from religious persecution. Gradually, only
Michel realises that the white ship will sail on forever, with none
of its company ageing, in search of the Captain’s own dream.
Twilight Ghost, Magdalen Nabb. Collins 2000
A
well written English style ghost tale about a mysterious figure
that appears in the attic window. Going
back in time provides many lessons for Carrie and ultimately the
Twilight Ghost helps her to sort out her today troubles and becomes
a much nicer person. (11+)
Saving Saddler Street, Ruth Starke. Lothian 2002
Another
heart-warming saga about family and culture and the central role
a school can play in helping new
arrivals to become comfortable, contributing new Australians. When
Saddler Street is threatened with closure in rationalist times, that
same culturally diverse community reaches back into its history to
try to save the place that helped them create home.
Midnight for Charlie Bone,
Jenny Nimmo. Random House 2002
I
guess it should come as little surprise that Nimmo, renowned for
her control of the fantasy genre, can create
a set of characters and plot to challenge Harry Potter. Good
old Charlie Bone, a pretty ordinary chap, starts hearing voices - ho
hum, not very new - but these voices emanate from any picture he
happens to cast eyes on. This means, sadly, that he must attend
the dastardly Bloor’s Academy (not a patch on Hogwarth’s). Once
there, but naturally, Charlie and his friends, new and old, Olivia
and Benjamin (not to mention Runner Bean, Sleuth hound extraordinaire
and his glass-fracturing Uncle Paton) unravel the tangled plot of
magic and child abductions. A mix of Snickett and Rowling with
the emphasis on humour. (13+)
Feather Boy, Nicky Singer. Collins 2002
‘The Elders Project’ the very name
strikes gloom into the heart of any red-blooded adolescent. The
project and the story are saved by the extraordinary lead character
Catherine, tale teller and mediator between 7R and the helpless residents
of the Mayfield Rest Home. Cynicism turns to curiosity and
Robert Norbet becomes strongly engaged with Edith Sorrel’s quest
to mend the past before she dies. The blending of fairy story
and contemporary reality is masterful, as is the transformation of
the ugly duckling into a shining Prince who shows the world what
courage means and wins the heart of fair lady.
Shalott, Felicity Pulmon. Random House
Felicity
Pulmon is fascinated by the human frailties and intrigues that
lie beneath the Arthurian legend. In
an imaginative tour-de-force, she takes five teenagers back to that
time through a virtual reality program, and explores the meaning
of the characters, events and motivations for modern young people.
A Promised Land, Alan Collins. UQP
Collins
is a thorough and committed chronicler of recent and contemporary
Jewish history. Jacob’s
journey to personal and cultural identify covers a broad canvas from
the orphanage in Bondi, through the death of his wife in a Kibbutz
in 1948, to the life of his adopted son, Joshua. The latter
is shown first in sunny Australia and then on his pilgrimage to retrieve
his cultural heritage.
A Journey to Distant Mountains,
Jill Dobson. UQP 2001
An
engaging mystical, romance-adventure set in some dark past, this
substantial YA novel starts the resilient
Princess Atlanta who pursues her personal destiny in the midst of
a world in chaos. Borrowing from a long saga tradition, the
novel highlights a range of issues about freedom and power, love
and forgiveness that are incredibly relevant today.
Terra Farma, Gillian Rubinstein. Penguin
The sequel to Galaxa-Arena and
not quite as successfully integrated. This
novel has Joella, Peter and Liane on the run from the all-knowing
Project Genesis Five. The realisation of the desert setting
is strong, as is Peter’s journey through an equally arid, urban
environment.
The Amber Spyglass, Philip Pullman. Scholastic
The
third book in the Dark Materials trilogy and therefore a tour-de-force
as Pullman tries to bring all
his complex characters, creatures, and interwoven threads of plot
together to resolve the great final battle between good and evil. Will
is the bearer of the knife, but Lyra must awaken if they’re to harness
the powers of the worlds of the dead and the living, of humans and
the heavens. An overladen journey with a curious mix of magic,
quantum physics, religion, myth, philosophy and religion.
Foggy, Allan Baillie. Puffin
A
whimsical echo of a traditional, magical folk tale, with a good
dash of humour. Meg and Russ
succeed in their mission to find the mixed-up Wizard known as Foggy,
but there’s a fair chance he’ll create more havoc than
Little Bay Village can handle.
Adults Only, Morris Gleitzman. Penguin 2001
A
charming and endearing comedy about a married couple who try to
make a financial success of operating
an ‘adults only’ island resort. The only small problem
is that their hidden child makes a hilarious mess of things while ‘helping’ in
the shadows. A successful Gleitzman book for younger readers
10-14.
Dark Wind Blowing,
Jackie French. Angus & Robertson
A
perfectly normal day for Mike, off to school having farewelled
his doting Mum, until, at 11.40 am Lance
drops a test tube that could contain a deadly virus, and nothing
seems ‘ordinary’ again. The novel provides insights
into why victims of bullying turn to terrorism, and how kids can
show empathy,
resilience and care in the face of danger.
Cry of the Karri,
Errol Broome. Allen & Unwin
Aiden,
a boy out camping with his mates, becomes lost and stumbles across
the home of a family of another
boy who disappeared two years ago. Finally, by discovering
the fate of the missing son, Aiden is reunited with his own parents
and resolves his own guilt at his sister’s death.
Roger Bacon Reporting,
Stephen Measday. Hodder
Another
fun adventure for our intrepid reporter, Roger Bacon, the talking
pig. This time Roger is
in search of the scoop of the century, the last Thylacine. (9+)
Jamil’s
Shadow, Christine Harris. Puffin
A
charming tale of a boy who clings to the loneliness and isolation
arising from his grief for the death
of his parents, and of the natural disaster that brings a village
together and rebuilds a community. (9+)
The Lady with Iron Bones,
Jan Mark. Walker
A
sweetly ‘English’ story with its
hint of urban fantasy and mists wreathing the metal statue in the
decaying garden. A story of friendship between two very different
young girls and lady of the house who helps them to realise that
the danger of wishes, is they can come true. (10+)
Lily Quench and the Black Mountains, Natalie
Jane Prior. Hodder
Another
adventure for our intrepid girl hero, Lily Quench. Co-starring Lily’s friends Queen Dragon
and Gordon, this particular challenge occurs amid freezing mountain
terrain, where they face not only the perils of nature, but the determined
avarice of the evil Count. Nonetheless it’s a gentle small
novel with much to tell about friendship, perseverance, loyalty and
courage.
While I Live, John Marsden. MacMillan 2003
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it
again: the way to gender equity and a compassionate world is NOT
through ‘giving a boy a hankie and a girl a gun’. We
became used to a high level of violence in the Tomorrow series,
and this, the first of the new chronicles starring the same adolescent
characters, depicts the full potential
viciousness of human beings. Ellie and Gavin return to the
family homestead to discover that her parents and a family friend
have been brutally murdered - we assume by the armies from across
the border. The rest of the novel pivots on whether Ellie should
join ‘The Liberation’, become a ‘terrorist’ and seek revenge, or
focus on caring for Gavin, making the farm viable and getting on
with a productive life. The most interesting aspect of the
book, finally, is Ellie’s daily struggle to retain her independence
and balance the competing demands of her life. (14+)
The Naming of Tishkin Silk,
Glenda Millard. ABC Books 2003
An
ethereal little novel about a sensitive boy who carries a terrible
secret in his heart. Then, he meets
an equally other-worldly flower child in Layla, confides his secret
and they find a way for a family to move on from the loss of a child. And
part of that new beginning involves accepting the past and naming
the child so that she and not the secret can be held close to the
heart. (11+)
Teacher’s
Pet, Morris Gleitzman. Puffin 2003
A
typical, hilarious Glietzman with a serious message running as
an undercurrent beneath the humour. Poor
Ginger, not only highly allergic to the family’s many cats, but the
one in her satchel turns escapologist and causes mayhem at school - the
very school at which, to her sorrow, her parents teach. Having
parents teach at your own school means you don’t get the same kindness
and support as other students, in case you’re seen as ‘the teacher’s
pet’.
The Fire Eaters, David Almond. Hodder 2003
Almond,
winner of both the Carnegie & Whitbread
awards, is a unique storyteller with incredible empathy for the ways
children see the world and how deeply they feel about its happenings. Bobby
Burns (sic) is going through frightening changes - his new school
is a cold and cruel place, his Dad is mysteriously ill, the world
is on the brink of nuclear war (1962) and McNulty, the psychologically
scarred fire-eater has come to the tiny town of Keely Bay. At
the same time, Bobby has firm friends, a community that gathers when
needed and miracles do happen. Almond is not a writer for every
Australian reader; he’s too ‘English’ and a little nostalgic, but,
as ever, he’s got fine control of his pen.
Grass for his Pillow, Liam Hearn. Hodder 2003 (Volume 2)
Takeo,
heir to the Otori Clan has been taken into the Tribe and for the
sake of survival, he pledges
them his life. But Takeo is a complex mix of Otori and Tribe
and cannot, in the end, deny his spiritual nature and peaceful upbringing
to become a hired assassin. Consequently, he takes a dangerous
path to marry Kaede and reclaim their inheritance, knowing that such
a choice will lead to dreadful wars and his eventual, predicted execution. The
novel is so densely laden with the religion, culture and ritual of
a mythical, medieval Japan, that it will challenge all but the most ‘literary’ of
readers. Nonetheless, it is finely wrought.
The Winter Door, Isobelle Carmody. Penguin 2003
The
second of the Gateway Trilogy. A
very successful sequel in which magic, and travel shape changing
and feats of high courage seem almost normal. Rage struggles
to make a life in her own world, faced with unaccountable hatred
at school and an unfathomable uncle whom she fears will go away;
her mother has lain ill in hospital for several years following a
car accident. So, Rage dream travels to the Valley and realises
she must go beyond the Winter Door to save both worlds.
Julia, My Sister, Bronwyn Blake. Lothian 2003
This
is an intriguing, if not wholly successful novel about a young
woman who has been deeply traumatised
by the events surrounding her abduction during a bank robbery. She
is frightfully scarred in the crash of the get-away-car, but it’s
her mental and emotional scars that are the bigger challenge to heal. Julia/Kate
escapes into a schizophrenic state to avoid confronting her damaged
body, her diminished future and the real pain yet to come. Through
the composition of a song cycle based on Eurydice and Odysseus, Julia
finds the strength to turn her back on ‘the underworld’ and return
to the light. The musical overlays lend poetics and some cohesion
to the novel, but they also at times feel contrived and a little
pretentious.
Keys to the Kingdom,
Garth Nix. Allen & Unwin 2003 - Volume 1: Mister Monday
A
classic Nix mix of humour, improbable events and quest motif. Arthur Penhaligon (are we meant to
read ‘Pendragon’?) becomes an unlikely hero when he is bequeathed ‘the
lesser key’ because of his imminent death from asthma. Well,
Arthur doesn’t die, and, with the power of the key improving his
lung capacity, he’s able to take on ferocious opponents in the secondary
realm, to liberate his own time from the sleeping plague. I loved
it, and it’s worth a try with 14+ readers who have a soft spot
for fantasy with fun.
Lucas, Kevin Brooks. Chicken Feed Press 2003
This
is a very controlled narrative that builds the sense of small-town-spite
turning to violence in
a totally convincing way. Given people’s apparent willingness
to believe the worst of their fellows and to grasp desperately for
personal pleasure, vicious self interest and accompanying serious
harm are inevitable. The teen characters remain somewhat mysterious,
their motivations not always explained, though their actions are
plausible. The adults are, sadly, largely venal or inadequate. Overall,
it’s a gripping piece of prose that enlightens as it shocks. (14+)
The Wish List, Eoin Colfer. Viking 2003
Colfer is the author of the witty
and cleverly crafted Artemis Fowl novels. This one reflects those same qualities of working skilfully
with the unexpected and never taking anything too seriously. Meg
Finn, who is a good girl really, gets embroiled in a bungled burglary
of an old man’s flat, and, with her partner in crime, dies. Heaven
and Hell vie for her soul and the only way she can go up, not down,
is to return to earth ethereally to help the old man fulfil his life’s
wishes before he too, drops off this mortal coil. Colfer manages
to be both funny and deep and he’s certainly one of the most original,
entertaining writers for older teens around. (14+)
Blackthorn,
Whitethorn, Rachel Andersen. Hodder
Andersen writes historical novels in the ‘British style’
with a confident pen. It’s an intriguing walk down memory lane
for Hannah to ‘meet’ Ada and Lily and learn what life
was like in another century. Hannah’s own troubles fade
into insignificance, as she comes to understand the pain
and limitations of that life of
poverty, abuse and disability. (13+)
The
Year it all Happened, Catherine Bateson. UQP
This clear, lyrical, lucid verse novel delicately
unveils a year in the life of four emerging young adults.
It is a year of love
and sex and risk and connections, and opens new ways of reinventing
families and futures. (16+)
That
Dolphin Thing, Ian Bone. Puffin
An unusual exploration of the tumultuous feelings of a teenage boy
whose mother is undergoing treatment for cancer. The unexpected
friendship
between Mac, the library-hiding recluse and Killer Kusinski,
the school outcast brings strength to both to see them through their
separate
pain. Lifted by remarkably light, and ironically witty prose.
(14+)
Wasted,
Colin Bowles Penguin
With echoes of the Adrian Mole, ‘self-obsessed- teenage -boy’
syndrome, the novel begins in a light, entertaining way. However,
as the story gets going, the hard edge of reality rescues it from
anything like escapism and places the book more in the ‘mandated
read’ category of strong, honest, non-didactic adolescent
fiction.
(15+)
The
Fated Sky, Henrietta Branford
A sad old Viking tale of the fate that once awaited a young woman
left alone after the death of her parents. An old, old, folkloric
saga, heavy with the inevitability of cruelty and revenge, yet offering
lessons for modern young women about strength and honour, survival
and love. (14+)
Finding
Grace, Alyssa Brugman A & U
Shortlisted for the CBCA Older Readers award, this is a totally delightful,
original rite of passage novel for young adults. It features the
extremely
likable Rachel, who is moving from school to university
and moving in to ‘mind’ Grace, a woman suffering brain
damage as a result of a bizarre accident. The novel charts Rachel’s
journey from distaste for Grace’s condition, through defending
her from her grasping sisters to final affection, respect and hope.
It is an
impressive first novel with great promise for future works.
(16+)
Bloodtide,
Melvin Burgess. Penguin
A novel of extraordinary savagery that somehow sucks you in - in
to its brutal world of gangwar, bloodlust and unbridled cruelty.
Burgess
has never pulled the punches, but this one is spinechilling
in its gritty reality. It has a contemporary ring of truth, despite,
or maybe
because of it 'Montagues and Capulets' plot and post-holocaust
setting. (16+)
Starry
Nights, Judith Clarke. A & U 2001
Judith Clarke is a talented contemporary writer who has the capacity
and the wisdom to reveal the complexities inside apparently ordinary
Australian families through the convincing gaze of a teenage
girl. Since they moved from the bay to Hillcrest House, their lives
have
been a mess - Mum is sick and uncommunicative, Vida is
furiosly seeking a magical solution and Clem is part of a haunting.
It's up to Jess
to reconnect her family with reality and to help them draw
the strength to move on. No one does grieving and acceptance better
than Clarke.
(14+)
Ruby
Holler, Sharon Creech. A & U. 2002
This Caldwellian backwoods saga comes out of a naive America that
has probably never existed. Dallas and Florida are the twin terrors
of Boxton Creek Home for wayward orphans. They can't 'be placed',
since every time they go to a set of prospective parents, they rebel
against the cruelty and exploitation they encounter. Fortunately,
Sairy and Tiller Morey are not your usual elderly couple, and Ruby
Holler is not your usual location. When these four eccentric characters
collide, adventures are inevitable, but, thanks to the extra-ordinary
perceptive love of the Moreys, the young toughs begin to crack and
trust becomes a possibility. Full of laughter and whimsy, Ruby Holler
yet maintains a voice for truth.
Parvana,
Deborah Ellis. A & U 2002
This poignant novel that is unashamedly didactic docu-fiction,
records the everyday life of women in Afghanistan under Taliban
rule.
Told through Parvana's pre-pubescent eyes, it offers insights
to young Australians about how fortunate they are to have choices
in how to
live their lives. (13+)
Leaving
No Footprints, Elaine Forrestal. Puffin
The mysterious boy surfs every day in front of Henny’s family
holiday house, but who is Kip, why his sadness and where does he go,
leaving no footprints? An intriguing mix of smuggler tale, mystery
and contemporary romance, this slight novel is excellent holiday reading
for 13+
The
Cave, Susanne Gervay, A & R 2002
Another
rite of passage novel, this time for those young males who would
like
to challenge an ethos that suggests that brute strength
and winning at any price are the only true demonstrations of manhood.
Taut, gripping
and very believable, especially in relation to macho-talk
and the pressures it creates. (14+)
A
Different Sort of Real: The Diary of Charlotte McKenzie.
Kerry Greenwood. Scholastic. 2001
A straightforward story of a young girl's involvement
in the Influenza pandemic of 1918-19. The novel raises
issues about the
role of women in post-war Australia, the impact of the
war on men who experienced trauma and challenges definitions
of heroism and cowardice.
(13+)
Forest,
Sonya Hartnett. Viking
Also listed for Older Readers this year, Forest is another idiosyncratic
piece from the most versatile and original Australian novelist writing
for young people. ‘The forest is earth and leaves, sun and shade,
feather and blood and bone.’ The forest appears this way, because
it is seen through the eyes of cats - feral cats with their ancient,
hard won survival wisdom, and the dumped city cats, Kian the elder
neutered Tom and his unwelcome kitten charges, Jem and Cally. Not
all can survive in this arena of nature’s rage, but some must,
to continue the line. In the midst of this brutal tale, there is courage,
self-sacrifice and a bitter kind of knowing. 15+
Mahalia,
Joanne Horniman. A & U. 2001
A slow-moving, detailed account of a young man's struggle
to bring up his baby daughter alone. Through the eyes of 17 year
old
Matt, we see Mahalia teething, walking, talking and making
friends. We experience his devotion and loving care, but also his
frustration
as he battles loneliness, depression and poverty. Finally,
it is a moving, absorbing tale about young people growing up, growing
apart
and moving on, and the grief that accompanies these changes.
(16+)
Red
Heart, Victor Kelleher. Viking
Victor has never held back from describing in vivid detail, the rapacious
cruelty that is likely to characterise a post holocaust world where
the urge to survive has primordial primacy. Red Heart is
unrelenting in its exposition of the brutality of the ‘new
world order’
being established up the great Darling River. This is ‘Jack’s
Place’ and evil is given full reign, until his nephew arrives.
In true Kelleher fashion, Nat is to demonstrate through suffering
and endurance, that trust and integrity are the only foundations
for a viable future. (16+)
The
Firebird, Sophie Masson. Hodder
Sophie Masson does romantic fantasy so well, and this one, set in
old Russia, has its full quota of magic, shape-shifters
and mysterious tricksters. The Tsar, obsessed with the legendary
firebird, sends
his sons on a quest to capture it. Naturally, only Ivan,
the pure of heart, has any hope of winning the prize - or the maiden.
(14+)
Flash
Jack, Maureen McCarthy. Penguin
A lightweight, entertaining depiction of a thirteen year old boy’s
dream summer, encompassing a burglary, a wacky girl friend, angry
messed-up brothers, trouble with the police and a (relatively)
happy ending. (13+)
Fergus
McPhail, David McRobbie Penguin
McRobbie is a somewhat erratic writer, so I approached this novel
with some misgivings. I was therefore pleasantly surprised to find
a fast-paced, witty and highly entertaining work. Fergus
and his family have moved yet again in another attempt to find a
job for his dad,
‘Mr Hopeless’, and a home that suits his crazy family. It’s
one of those ‘school/girls/I’m-no-good-at-sport’ fictions,
but it’s fun and clever and offers appealing and relaxing reading
for less enthusiastic boy-readers. (14+)
24
Hours, Margaret Mahy. Collins
A classic, original, incorrigible Mahy, combining
mystery, suspense and romance. Within 24 hours, Ellis
breaks all the habits
of a seventeen-year-old lifetime and enters a danger zone
inhabited by people who never knew there were rules in
the first place. This
is a group of spoiled, little rich kids, whose games of
tricks and consequences arise from such damaged lives
that they have nothing
left to lose. In his single day/night, Ellis lives a whole
life of love and loss and adventure, dances with death
and lives to tell the
tale. (16+)
Wildlight,
David Metzenthen. Penguin 2002
This 'Journey' saga in the tradition of Steinbeck et al
features Dirk, the 'wild child', made savage by his struggle to
survive in
an unforgiving human and natural environment. On his journey,
to his own surprise, Dirk learns how to love and be loved and how
to accept
his origins and to make his own choices without being destroyed
by the greed, fear and cynicism that surrounds him. Metzenthen is
an
increasingly skilled writer and his original concept for
the novel rivals Hartnett, while his breathtaking descriptive prose
would give
Winton a run for his money. (16+)
A
Step from Heaven, An Na. A & U
This slim novel about one family’s massive personal and cultural
journey is heart wrenching in its pathos and exquisite linguistic
poise. Young Ju and her family leave Korea to live in America
where they expect all their dreams to come true. Little Young Ju
believes
they are on their way to heaven. As they struggle in the
new world, fractures appear in their family relationships and violence
and division
follow a sense of failure. The young narrator conveys sensitive
insights into this condition and ultimately leaves a sense of realistic
optimism
for her future and that of her mother and brother. (15+)
The
Other Side of Truth, Beverley Naidoo. Penguin
Her novel offers a brief glimpse into the troubled political world
of Nigeria, where shots ring out at dawn and the lives of two young
children are changed forever. Sade and her little brother
are smuggled into England, where they wait fearfully for news of
their outspokenjournalist
father. In the process, they too learn how the media can
be used as a voice for disempowered people. (13+)
Lirael,
Garth Nix. A & U
From the same dark world of Garth’s award-winning Sabriel, this
high fantasy novel hovers above cliché held by a thread of
youthful humour and self-parody. The characters and some of the
dialogue
are unfortunately reminiscent of a British Boarding School
of the 19th Century, with much ‘pluckiness by jolly
good chaps who aren’t all that comfy with girls’, but
the book does introduce issues of contemporary political relevance.
(14+)
Willow
Tree and Olive, Irini Savvides. Hodder
A classic tale of potential tragedy which deals
with a young woman's search for self, with the difficulty
of straddling two cultures
and the trauma of coming to terms with awakened memories
of an abusive incident in her childhood. The focus on
friendships between women
and the strength and solidarity these can give is heartening
and instructive. The vivid evocation of Greek custom and
heritage adds layers of significance,
while the narrative techniques construct meaning in complex
and interesting ways. (15+)
Starry
Night, Martin Waddell. Walker
Another rite of passage, this time set in Ireland. Kathleen is the
last to know what’s going on in her family - indeed,
what’s
been going on for some time. In the process of unravelling
family
secrets, Kathleen begins to question her own political and social
assumptions. While all her ‘starry’ dreams
turn to dust, she does find a new maturity, balance and
perspective from which
to
face her future. (15+)
Vigil,
Nadia Wheatley. Penguin
This is a sophisticated, poetic, multi-layered narrative,
which, in Wheatley’s skilful way, moves between the
tragic events in Nathan’s
past and his present ‘ghostly’ return to the
old town. Here, he hovers on the fringes, haunted by an
unreasonable sense of responsibility
for the death of his two friends, until he learns from
someone who knows loss only too well, that it is possible
to say goodbye and move
on. (16+)
Homeless
Bird, Gloria Whelan. Harper Collins. 2000
The novel offers an insight into the harsh day-to-day
life of an Indian girl, whose arranged marriage at 13
is an unmitigated
disaster. Koby is one of the lucky ones, despite being
abandoned on the streets of a strange town by her mother
in law, she escapes prostitution.
Through her courage and resilience, she finds refuge in
a Widow's House where her intelligence and talents are
valued and she can hope
for a better future. The novel, while not criticising traditional
ways, subtly challenges any system that systematically
keeps women
at the bottom of a very tall pecking order. (13+)
Jinx,
Margaret Wild A & U
This is Margaret’s first foray into the verse novel, but that
familiar Wild tenderness for humankind shines on. Mothers, daughters,
fathers, sons - all are portrayed with perceptive sympathy
and a light, sure touch. (14+)
Fly
Boy & The Invisible, Matt Zurbo. Penguin
A bizarre, surreal adventure starring two wide boys with a bond born
of shared dreams. When Will disappears, Carlo just has to follow,
even
if it means taking on the evil, vicious, blue singlet brigade
who work mysteriously beneath the earth. Slick, sassy, grimy, and
thoroughly
Zurbo, the novel is an intriguing walk on the edge of C21st
reality. (16+)
Closed
Stranger, Kate de Goldi. Penguin
2000
A
sophisticated novel about love and lust and dependencies.
Two mates are in an unequal power relationship where
Westie calls
the shots…until Max’s first love, Meredith is killed through
Westie’s excesses and the worm turns to thoughts
of vengeance. A powerful novel that deals with heartbreak,
anger and growing
up in a realistic and hard-hitting way. (15+)
Holes,
Louis Sachar. Bloomsbury 1998
The
most vivid, original text I’ve read in a long time.
A smart, sassy, bitter-real expose of an America that
does unconscionable
things to its youth. The price of crime for these youths
is incarceration in a desolate, sunbaked desert detention
centre,
where their daily punishment is to dig holes from daylight
to dark and where the guards exercise their power by
giving or denying water. Stanley and his mate, Zero,
unable to take
it for a second longer, escape and in the process of
surviving in the harsh environment, they uncover the
real, gold-lust
reason for all this digging. A surreal novel with a tension
that will keep readers page turning until the thrilling
end. (15+)
Dogs,
Bill Condon. Hodder 2000
Dogs is
immensely powerful in its absolutely raw working class reality.
Two boys and a greyhound they love and build their hopes on,
two fathers with very different notions of masculinity; this
is as much a story about fathers and sons as it is about the
world of racing, doping and the events of the plot. The novel
is unrelenting, unequivocal, tragic, depressing and ultimately
un-put-down-able. (15+)
Thursday’s
Child, Sonya Hartnett. Penguin 2000
Another
extraordinary literary and imaginative feat from a novelist
with no ordinary appeal. Tin, the strange child who,
having sunk beneath the surface one watery day, chooses
to hide forever
from the grinding poverty, powerlessness and conflict
of family existence first beneath the floor of the house
and then in
a labyrinth of tunnels beneath the wider landscape. While
Hartnett’s
appeal is far from universal, she deserves applause for
her unflinching depiction of the human struggle and for
her unique
literary voice. (15+)
Nukkin
Ya, Phillip Gwynne. Penguin 2000
Theoretically
a novel about race and impediments to young love - a
Romeo and Juliet saga set in small town Australia (the
Baz Luhrmann
of the outback) - this is also another novel very much
about fathers and sons, boys’ relationships with peers and boys learning
the kind of man they want to become. Gwynne does this stuff
well, with a sure ear for dialogue and a helpful dose of humour
to lighten the lesson. It’s not as seamless as Deadly Unna,
in which every move seemed destined and every phrase sparklingly
apposite, but I guess a sequel is inevitable, and so is the
next one. (15+)
In
the Poet’s Den, Julia Holland. UQP 2000
The
cover may deter some males, but the content resonates
for any reader who is ‘searching’; one who needs a new path to give
purpose and meaning to their lives. The novel is about the
manipulative force of cults in these aimless times, but it
maintains a balance in perspective, giving credit where it’s
due, yet acknowledging the vulnerability of youth and
the likelihood of corruption of utopian vision. While
it (inevitably?) depicts
families as singularly hopeless at managing their young
and facing realities, the novel also canvasses ideas
about the
rewards of working together for unselfish goals and about
how disillusionment can bring maturity and enlightenment.
(15+)
The
Simple Gift, Steven Herrick. UQP 2000
Yet
another short-listed CBCA book. Steven Herrick has a sure touch
with the verse novel and his work is a means of liberating
readers from a strictly prosaic existence. Touching, humane,
earthy and respectful, it affirms the need we all have for
warmth, company and empathy and offers a way to find these
through making connections despite the risks. (14+)
Touch
Me, James Moloney. UQP 2000
A
beautifully balanced work with depth, poignancy and contemporaneity.
The
Darkness, Anthony Eaton. UQP 2000
‘An
impressive debut novel’ as the blurb says. This
is a novel about fear - fear of the unknown, of the too
well known and
of that which has moved from memory to mythology. The Darknessis reputed to be a time when man is no match for nature,
but surviving amidst its rage can, on the other hand, be a
coming of age, liberation and a means of connecting across
generations and of dealing with the past. (14+)
Whistle
Man, Brian Ridden. Lothian 2000
A
strangely charming retelling of the Ned Kelly story from
the point of view of the young orphan, Garrett Clancy.
It’s a story
of heroism, loyalty and betrayal that sends echoes down to
this day around ‘the Irish Question’. This may go some way
to explaining why Australia’s two national heroes
are a stuffed horse and an outlaw. An excellent novel
for exploring issues
of justice and the law on the eve of Federation. (14+)
The
Heroic Lives of Al Capsela,
Judith Clarke. UQP 2000
Al
and Louis survive, just, a year fraught with embarrassing
oldies and their messy lives. Their coolest act of all is to take
a sophisticated holiday, solo, at the glamorous Kooka
Kabins,
board shorts on, boards under arms, in search of girls.
Hardly a major literary work and let down by some clichés,
the novel is, overall plain, ordinary, Aussie fun with wide appeal.
(13+)
Saving
Abbie, Allan Baillie. Penguin 2000
A
gentle and unusual novel for lovers of nature, animals
and the environmentally conscious. Ian takes Abbie, his ‘pet orang-utan’ back
to the jungles of Borneo to set her free. In the process,
he discovers a vicious animal-smuggling racket, he experiences
the dangers and devastation of out-of-control forest
burn offs
and comes to realise the immensity of the greed, arrogance
and cruelty of humans. Some of the dialogue is stilted,
but the story will engage young people who care about
these matters
affecting our planet. (12+)
The
Colour of Sunshine, David Metzenthen.
Penguin 2000
Davey’s
sister Petra was killed in an accident on a wet road in town
in a car driven by Noah Hassen; ‘it’s always wet here’, says
dad, ‘that’s no bloody excuse’. Now, even the house is full
of pain and bleeding and everyone’s lives have
stopped. Then, a new family comes to town, opens a pet
shop and stays long
enough to let in a glimmer of sunshine. Davey, having
learned it can happen, refuses to return to grey, destructive
grief,
and, with his older brother, helps find a way forward.
A very solid book by a writer who just gets better and
better. (12+)
The
Seeing Stone, Kevin Crossley Holland.
Orion 2000
And
now, for something completely different. Yet another version
of the tale of King Arthur, but this, at least, is by an Arthurian
master, and it shows. The book is a regular medieval pageant
with all its sights, sounds and smells and replete with the
tribulations of religion, poverty and war. Told through the
eyes of a young boy, another Arthur, the tensions between entrenched
superstition and the pull of the age of reason, the medieval
acceptance of oppressive hierarchies and yet the attractions
of the noble ideal are vividly brought to life. (12+)
Blackwater,
Eve Bunting. Collins 2000
A
young boy’s jealousy and bravado turn a summer
day into a nightmare and leave him with a problem that
just gets more and more out
of control. Only his detested cousin Alex knows that
Brodie actually caused the drowning of two teenagers
despite him being
hailed as town hero for trying to save them. When lying
starts, it gets harder and harder to tell the truth.
Salient lessons
in how all our actions have consequences. (12+)
Wringer,
Jerry Spinelli. Collins 1997
In
Waymer, when you turn 10, you get to go out and wring
the necks of injured pigeons - whether you want to or not;
it’s the initiation
from childhood to manhood. Yet, it may take more courage
to refuse, and this is the decision Palmer has to make
when he
befriends Nipper the pigeon. This 1998 Newbery Honour
Book by a highly skilled novelist brings a fresh international
voice
to Australian readers, while demonstrating that some
issues and challenges are universal. (10+)
No
Name Bird, Josef Vondra. Penguin
2000
And
so does this story from an East Timor on the brink of a war
still in recent memory. A story about a boy and his uncle and
their game, but scrawny cock fighting bird with no name; a
metaphor for a place and time. While aspects of the plot line
challenge belief and the prose - at least in translation -
is not particularly stylish, this slight novel is engaging
and its content important. (10+)
Keeper,
Rosanne Hawke. Lothian 2000
The
book is a cliché in a way - a boy who advertises for a
dad to go in the fishing competition with him and along comes
a
lovable, but solitary and mysterious biker who turns
out to have known his dad (in prison). However, the novel is saved
by the quality of the characterisation, which largely
avoids
stereotyping, and by the sting in the serpent’s
tail that pays off the persistent reader. (10+)
Bud,
Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis.
Delacorte Press 1999
Ten
year old Bud, from Flint Michigan in 1936, runs away
to find his dad, following the clues of an old Jazz poster
about Herman
E Calloway and the Dusky Devastators of the Depression.
This is one of those heart-warming stories about a motherless
boy,
who, even in these tough times is determined not to be
fatherless. It’s also a story about race and class and the Depression itself
and about the music that makes it all bearable. Curtis has
the lightest touch I know when dealing with race - it’s
just there with no didacticism or breast-beating. (10+)
The
Ghost Behind the Wall, Melvin
Burgess. Andersen Press 2000
Burgess
is the winner of both the Carnegie and Guardian Awards. This
is an unusual foray into a fantasy for younger readers from
a writer better known for his harsh social realism (Junk, The Baby and Fly
Pie). David, the short boy who had to learn to act
tough, turns into a wimp when he can’t shake a destructive child ghost
out of his life. Finally, he realises he can only do so by
unravelling an old man’s past and reconnecting him
to it. (10+)
The
Worst Year of My Life, Katherine
Goode. Lothian 2000
An
entertaining escape into someone else’s disaster-filled
life, the novel is an Aussie mix of Bar Mitzvah, Italian
teachers,
mildly insane mothers and infuriating brothers. (10+)
Saving
Christmas, Gillian Bouras. UQP Storybridge
2000
Two
Greek-Australian kids take on the evil Kallikantzaroi
spirits that have accompanied their Yiayia from Greece
for Christmas.
These mischievous beasties cause un-merry havoc to all
and sundry until the family gang up on them. Written
with a light
and humourful touch, it’s an entertaining and gently
multicultural story. (10+)
Frankel
Mouse, Odo Hirsch. Allen & Unwin
2000
Another
imaginative feat from the pen of one of our most original
writers. A group of mice hanging out in the London Underground
might
not be expected to hold strong appeal for Aussie kids,
but Hirsch’s quirky sense of humour and endearing
characterisation turn many readers on to the story. (10+)
Fighting
Ruben Wolfe, Marcus Zusak. Omnibus
Books 2000
A
tough, witty city-slicker story of two fighting brothers, their
squabbles, disasters and ultimate loyalties. (12+)
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