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Favourite Australian books 2003
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From: Ridge, Judith <Judith.Ridge>
Date: Thu, 4 Dec 2003 16:10:59 +1100
My favourite Australian children's and YA books for this year:
"Saving Francesca" by Melina Marchetta. Marchetta's first novel "Looking for Alibrandi" was a phenomenal success in Australia. It was a cross-over best seller
(YA and adult), won every award going, is frequently included on senior English reading lists (and is passionately read by 12_at_ year olds) and was made into a successful feature film, with an award-winning screenplay by Marchetta herself. But it was ten years between novels for Marchetta, and so her new novel was greeted with both delight (that there WAS a new novel) and anxiety (that it wouldn't live up to expectations). Marchetta herself has acknowledged that her own novel was going to be her fiercest competition. "Saving Francesca" was well worth the wait. It is a far more mature and assured work than her first novel. Set in Catholic high school, the story follows Francesca over the middle winter terms of the school year, as her mother disappears into clinical depression and Francesca struggles with her own sense of self. It's actually a perfect example of the sort of coming-of-age story being discussed last month.
Another YA favourite is "Finding Cassie Crazy", by Jaclyn Moriarty - another second novel! Moriarty's "Feeling Sorry for Celia" was, I felt, a little overlooked here
(it was published as a YA novel in Australia, and I've never understood why the US publisher published at as adult title!). I hope "Finding Cassie Crazy" won't suffer the same fate - it's hilariously funny but also deeply serious at certain points. The premise of the story goes back to the penpal project between a prestigious private school and its neighbouring public school that appeared in "Celia". (In that sense it's a companion novel - Elizabeth from "Celia" makes a short but memorable appearance.) I believe the book will be published in the states next year - in the meantime, you can read my review of it on my website (there's also a review of
"Saving Francesca") - address below.
For the slightly younger reader (middle school), I loved James Valentine's witty and clever sf/time travel novel "Jump Man", also to be published in the US next year
(April I think). There's now a sequel, "Jump Man 2" which I'm looking forward to reading. And I haven't received my copy yet, but there's a new Elizabeth Honey novel
(further adventures of the Stella St gang) coming any day - and it's bound to be a favourite! (OK, I'm cheating, but I love Liz Honey and it's been a few years between novels!)
A good year for picture books all round but a GREAT year for Margaret Wild. She's got a bumper crop out this year: "Baby Boomsticks" with illustrations by David Legge
("Bamboozled"), "Babs the Baby and Fog the Dog", ill. by Donna Rawlins, "Little Humpty" with illustrations by Ann James.
That's enough from me for now. Website address follows:
Cheers!
Judith
www.misrule.com.au/reviews
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Received on Wed 03 Dec 2003 11:10:59 PM CST
Date: Thu, 4 Dec 2003 16:10:59 +1100
My favourite Australian children's and YA books for this year:
"Saving Francesca" by Melina Marchetta. Marchetta's first novel "Looking for Alibrandi" was a phenomenal success in Australia. It was a cross-over best seller
(YA and adult), won every award going, is frequently included on senior English reading lists (and is passionately read by 12_at_ year olds) and was made into a successful feature film, with an award-winning screenplay by Marchetta herself. But it was ten years between novels for Marchetta, and so her new novel was greeted with both delight (that there WAS a new novel) and anxiety (that it wouldn't live up to expectations). Marchetta herself has acknowledged that her own novel was going to be her fiercest competition. "Saving Francesca" was well worth the wait. It is a far more mature and assured work than her first novel. Set in Catholic high school, the story follows Francesca over the middle winter terms of the school year, as her mother disappears into clinical depression and Francesca struggles with her own sense of self. It's actually a perfect example of the sort of coming-of-age story being discussed last month.
Another YA favourite is "Finding Cassie Crazy", by Jaclyn Moriarty - another second novel! Moriarty's "Feeling Sorry for Celia" was, I felt, a little overlooked here
(it was published as a YA novel in Australia, and I've never understood why the US publisher published at as adult title!). I hope "Finding Cassie Crazy" won't suffer the same fate - it's hilariously funny but also deeply serious at certain points. The premise of the story goes back to the penpal project between a prestigious private school and its neighbouring public school that appeared in "Celia". (In that sense it's a companion novel - Elizabeth from "Celia" makes a short but memorable appearance.) I believe the book will be published in the states next year - in the meantime, you can read my review of it on my website (there's also a review of
"Saving Francesca") - address below.
For the slightly younger reader (middle school), I loved James Valentine's witty and clever sf/time travel novel "Jump Man", also to be published in the US next year
(April I think). There's now a sequel, "Jump Man 2" which I'm looking forward to reading. And I haven't received my copy yet, but there's a new Elizabeth Honey novel
(further adventures of the Stella St gang) coming any day - and it's bound to be a favourite! (OK, I'm cheating, but I love Liz Honey and it's been a few years between novels!)
A good year for picture books all round but a GREAT year for Margaret Wild. She's got a bumper crop out this year: "Baby Boomsticks" with illustrations by David Legge
("Bamboozled"), "Babs the Baby and Fog the Dog", ill. by Donna Rawlins, "Little Humpty" with illustrations by Ann James.
That's enough from me for now. Website address follows:
Cheers!
Judith
www.misrule.com.au/reviews
********************************************************************** This message is intended for the addressee named and may contain privileged information or confidential information or both. If you are not the intended recipient please delete it and notify the sender.
**********************************************************************
Received on Wed 03 Dec 2003 11:10:59 PM CST
