Stride’s life is thrown into disarray when his father dies. Life is hard enough when you’re a teenager, and sudden change doesn’t help! Frustrated, he finds comfort in the companionship of Ferd, his father’s cockatoo. The turbulence begins to subside when Stride encounters Jess, a dreadlocked surfer-girl who makes his stomach knot with the nervous energy of a crush. Grief has disconnected Stride from his mother, and when she puts the family home on the market, this is too sudden, too soon for Stride, and this fracture widens. But when a bushfire suddenly sweeps through the coastal village destroying houses and threatening lives, Stride realises the true importance of family, risking his own safety to reconnect his. Set in a coastal town in Australia, this book tackles the themes of loss, change and family relationships, and is told in a realistic manner. This is an engaging boy-coming-of-age story, of which there currently seem to be only a few for this age group. It would be a great class novel to be taught at upper primary and middle years.
Julia Jackson is a freelance reviewer who has worked in bookstores for a number of years
The Spell of Rosette by Kim Falconer In a future Earth ravaged by pollution and climate change, the only hope for the survival of humanity lies in a parallel dimension.1 October, 2008
The Chaos Crystal by Jennifer Fallon This is the final volume of the ‘Tide Lords’ quartet. From the first volume, The Immortal Prince, onwards Fallon has taken her readers on a journey further and further away from the usual fantasy expectations.1 October, 2008
Wanting by Richard Flanagan Richard Flanagan’s fourth novel is set in his native Tasmania, and returns to the troubled early history of the colony in the mid 19th century.1 October, 2008
Lemniscate by Gaynor McGrath An odd title (which refers to the infinity symbol) and 50 or so pages of stilted, naive dialogue and irritating moralising, did not make me want to continue reading this novel.1 October, 2008
In Bed With by Adams Jessica People will buy this collection of erotic short stories, because of the author names they are familiar with.1 October, 2008
Grace Notes by Jenny Pattrick Grace Notes by Jenny Pattrick is a lively read, with well-rounded characters, feisty dialogue and excellent sense of location.1 October, 2008
The Best of Australian Poetry 2008 by David Brooks It’s the sixth year of UQP’s ‘Best Australian Poetry’ series, and guest editor David Brooks, whose recent novel was shortlisted for the 2008 Miles Franklin award, invites us to once again sample the cream of contemporary Australian poetry.1 October, 2008
The Art of Graeme Base by Julie Watts Like a child reading Animalia for the first time I devoured this illustrated biography of a talented and fortunate man in one extended reading and then went back to examine choice pages.1 October, 2008
The Independence of Miss Mary Bennet By Colleen McCullough According to a recent poll of 15,000 Dymocks booklover members, Pride and Prejudice is considered one of the best books ever written and yet one that I am shamefaced to admit has never quite made it to the top of my reading pile.1 September, 2008
The Edge of Desire by Stephanie Laurens If you’ve read Laurens’ ‘Bastion Club’ series you’ll find Edge of Desire similar to the previous seven books.1 September, 2008
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