Loz and Al is a sensitive account of life as a 12-year-old and the pressures that family life can place on friendship. Laura is 12, her parents' marriage is on the rocks and her best friend abandons both her and their dream to join a famous girl band and travel the world. Laura's school project provides a framework within the novel for the disintegrating friendship between Laura and Alice, as well as an illustration of how family events affect the girls' lives. Lawrinson writes with both realism and compassion about how the dissolution of a marriage can affect a young person, as well as touching on the issue of abuse and its pervasive but invisible presence within the community. Throughout the novel there are flashes of humour that help to balance Laura's difficult situation and the depiction of classroom dynamics demonstrates Lawrinson's understanding of children and the way in which they view the world. Loz and Al is a well-written, beautifully oriented story for the early teen reader that is unafraid to tackle unpleasant issues, providing the reader with an accessible story portraying both the good and bad in life.

Natalie Crawford is the children's specialist at Dymocks Claremont. C. 2003 Thorpe-Bowker and contributors

Tags: julia lawrinson