FRIDAY BROWN

by Vikki Wakefield   (CBCA SHORTLISTED)  LWH

[Blurb: ‘I am Friday Brown. I buried my mother. My grandfather buried a swimming pool. A boy who can’t speak has adopted me. A girl kissed me. I broke and entered. Now I’m fantasising about a guy who’s a victim of crime and I am the criminal. I’m going nowhere and every minute I’m not moving, I’m being tail-gated by a curse that may or may not be real. They call me Friday. It has been foretold that on a Saturday I will drown…’]

This is a short listed book for older readers for CBCA awards this year so was eager to read it. I was blown away by it. The first chapter drew me in as I took in each word that was so craftily written. The descriptions were beautiful yet haunting, with each character reeling me in.

I so loved the relationship and special kind of love she formed with Silence, her new friend, which was so special since her whole life she had only really known her mother, and travelled from town to town as a loner. When she meets Silence her world changes dramatically but life in the 'gang' doesn't sit well with her from the start. She is running from life, from herself, from memories, but along this new journey she eventually finds her inner self. She must make some hard decisions.

I have to admit that I cried through most of the last few chapters, which made me feel silly, as this was just a YA fiction, but I was totally hooked by then, and the story didn't quite turn out how I had expected. 

COLIN FISCHER

by Ashley Edward Miller   (LWH)

[Blurb: SOLVING CRIME, ONE FACIAL EXPRESSION AT A TIME
Colin Fischer cannot stand to be touched. He does not like the color blue. He needs index cards to recognize facial expressions.
But when a gun is found in the school cafeteria, interrupting a female classmate's birthday celebration, Colin is the only for the investigation. It's up to him to prove that Wayne Connelly, the school bully and Colin's frequent tormentor, didn't bring the gun to school. After all, Wayne didn't have frosting on his hands, and there was white chocolate frosting found on the grip of the smoking gun...]

Colin Fischer is a modern day Sherlock Holmes, constantly gathering facts in his little notepad. A bit unusual? ... yes, he has Aspergers syndrome, a developmental disorder that affects a person's ability to socialize and communicate effectively with others. This causes him to be alienated at school and often bullied. He is a character that grows on you. Because he is incredibly intelligent and logical he is very good at gathering clues.

This is a quick read which I think boys will particularly like.

BURNING BLUE

by Paul Griffin

[Blurb: 'How far would you go for love, beauty, and jealousy?

When Nicole Castro, the most beautiful girl in her wealthy New Jersey high school, is splashed with acid on the left side of her perfect face, the whole world takes notice. But quiet loner Jay Nazarro does more than that--he decides to find out who did it. Jay understands how it feels to be treated like a freak, and he also has a secret: He's a brilliant hacker. But the deeper he digs, the more danger he's in--and the more he falls for Nicole. Too bad everyone is turning into a suspect, including Nicole herself.

Award-winning author Paul Griffin has written a high-stakes, soulful mystery about the meaning--and dangers--of love and beauty']

Great, great, great book. Couldn't put it down. Nicole was beautiful and there were many jealous of her, but who would be so cruel as to throw acid in her face? Although Jay isn't her friend, he decides to make it his business to find out who has done this hideous crime. When Nicole finds out about Jay she starts to confide in him and they soon become friends, and Jay finds that somehow there is a link between his father and her parents, which he can't quite work out.

He discovers there are many who may have wanted to harm Nicole, but as the plot thickens there are many twists and turns that will have you guessing until the end. Well worth a read.

THE SEEING

by Diana Hendry

[Blurb: 1953. When wild, dangerous, break-all-the-rules Natalie arrives in the quiet town of Norton, thirteen-year-old Lizzie is drawn irresistibly to the new girl from the wrong side of the tracks. Desperate for Natalie's friendship and respect, Lizzie soon discovers a side of the town - and of herself - that she had never imagined.

As the girls grow closer, Natalie and her strange, eerie brother, Philip, reveal a shocking secret. For Philip has a second sight, and all around them he sees evil - 'left-over Nazis' lying in wait until the time is right for revenge. Natalie and Philip believe it's up to them to root these people out of Norton.

Lizzie is swept up in what starts as a thrilling game - but the consequences of Philip's 'gift' quickly spiral into disaster.

A chilling, powerful tale from Whitbread Award-winner Diana Hendry.]

This was a chilling tale! It was strange right from the start. Reading the first few pages (the Prologue) I had no idea what the setting was and when I finished the book I actually went back and read it again... now I know what it all meant!

When Lizzie pals up with a very strange girl from school, Natalie, and her brother, Phillip, she will have no idea how her life will change. According to Natalie, Philip has an eerie secret... he sees things. Nazi's, who are sleepers in their village. To win Natalie's friendship Lizzie goes along with the secret mission to seek out all those Phillip points the finger at and they must try to run them out of town. Natalie and her brother live in the poor end of town and her mother is incapable of looking after them. Lizzie lives on the right side of town and has a very different home life to her two friends.

This story is gripping, I couldn't put it down, and at the end I found it quite disturbing. It certainly wasn't a 'feel good' read but it was very interesting. I wonder what you'll think of it.

THE INK BRIDGE

by Neil Grant   (LWH)

This book really does convey the spirit of Afghanistan and allows you to experience just a glimpse of the realities of living in this war torn country, the heart of the people, the daily struggle and the life of a refugee.

Young Omed will be killed by the Taliban if he stays, they've already cut out his tongue, he can no longer provide for his family and must flee. He is forced to team up with Snake, a very undesirable character, if he is to escape to Australia especially now he can't communicate with anyone.

When he meets Hector in a candle factory in Melbourne they become silent friends. Hector has his own story and since his mother's death hasn't spoken a word. The two 'silent' boys form an unlikely relationship that will last for many years.

 This story is beautifully told and the descriptive writing is exceptional. I really enjoyed this story and although fiction it could be based on many refugee experiences.

THREE SUMMERS

by Judith Clarke


What a lovely cover that once again made me pick this book up to read.
This story is set mostly in rural Australia and begins in 1959. It follows the life journey of Ruth and her best friend Fee. When I finished the book I felt like I had actually lived along side both of them.

Ruth had lost her mother in a car accident when she was a baby and was raised by her father and her grandmother, which she had a strong connection with. The story tells the tale of the girls receiving their results from their final year of school and the direction their lives followed... Fee craving marriage and motherhood and staying in this country town and Ruth winning a scholarship to a Sydney University, which her grandmother thinks will save her from being trapped in this small town, with all it's quirky characters. She really wants her grand daughter to live life to the fullest and have the opportunities that she was never able to have.

Ruth however is torn by her secret love for Tam, the town casanova, even though she'd never actually dated him, and what she has always wanted, to be educated.


Parts of the book had me engrossed in the trials and tribulations of the characters but at times I found it was a little slow and lost my attention, however I'm glad I persevered because overall it was a wonderful story of friendships and love conquered and lost.

REMARKABLE CREATURES

by Tracy Chevalier   (LW)


This book is different and had quite a different story line than I expected. It's the story of a wonderful friendship between two remarkable women, Mary Anning and Elizabeth Philpot, who were drawn together through their love of collecting fossils. Although the story is fiction is was based on the actual life of these two women,living in Lyme Regis during the 1820's. Mary, who was struck by lightning as a baby, had a real connection with nature and the sea. She would collect curios (fossils) from the beach and sell them in her father's shop to tourists who passed by. 


Mary certainly had an eye for detecting fossils and discovered some of the first pre-dinosaur  fossils in England, including the ichthyosaur and the plesiosaur.  However, this was a man's world and she didn't get any recognition for her discoveries or a scientist until later on in years.


Although 'fossils' to me seems like a slightly boring subject the story was a wonderful blend of scientific fact, myths, customs, romance along with a story of friendship thrown in. It challenged the thinking of the time of evolution and where fossils fit into the scheme of God's creation.


I did enjoy this book as I did with another of Tracy's books I recently read 'The Girl with the Pearl Earring'.

THE LITTLE COFFEE SHOP OF KABUL

THE LITTLE COFFEE SHOP OF KABUL

by Deborah Rodriguez   (LWH)

This was a fabulous read. A group of five very different women (Sunny, Yazmina,  Candace, Isabel and Halajan, brought together through different circumstances and become friends, meeting together in a little coffee shop in Afghanistan, one of the most dangerous places on earth.  They form a unique bond and find they have much more in common than they thought, and are much stronger than they think, and through their actions set about changing things in their community in Kabul.

The story is based on the author's experiences and people she met while living in Afghanistan as a hair dresser. It is an eye opener to what women face living in Afghanistan and how terrible they are treated and punished for things that we would consider normal life.

Read more about how she came to write this book and how living in Afghanistan and returning to America has changed her life and much more on her website.

http://www.debbierodriguez.com/kabul.php

WHISPER

WHISPER by Chrissie Keighery   (LWH)

 This really is a fantastic book and I glad I took the time to read it. being a teenager is hard enough but being a deaf teenager is so much harder. Demi is in a new world trapped ... trapped by her new deafness, where everything she took for granted is gone. After convincing her mum to send her to a deaf school, Demi tries to make new friends and come to terms with all the changes in her life now that she's 'profoundly deaf'.

Having been involved with deaf people and communicating through signing, I felt this book was a great insight into the life of someone who can't hear and how unknowingly we can restrict knowledge and communication from them and cause embarrassment and isolation to them. This is evident when Demi's hearing friends turn their backs to her when talking and how sometimes she only gets portions of the conversation. How would we feel if the things we take for granted are gone forever?

This book was beautifully written and well researched. At times I felt I was in Demi's world and annoyed at the 'hearies' who, sometimes through lack of knowledge, did things to make it so much harder for Demi. I learnt a lot from reading this book and feel I have a greater insight into her world. Demi struggles with relationships from her world before deafness and her new friends. I was scared with her when she was left alone at home.There is also lots of humour in this book and lots of inspiring moments.

I think this book should be used as a class novel so teenagers can be more knowledgeable about deafness and the challenges it creates. The book also touched on issues about how we rightly or wrongly perceive others.

About the author:  Chrissie Keirghery is an Australian author who also publishes under her married name, Chrissie Perry, for younger readers and has written 13 'Go Girl!' titles.'Outside In' is another Young Adult book by Chrissie which I plan to find and read real soon. To listen to an interivew with Richard Stubbs and Chrissie on ABC radio please click on the link below.

Interview with Chrissie
Chrissie Perry website