Authenticity

Blizzard Lines by Tim Hawkes

Linda J

In a moment of stupidity, John’s life changes course. His happy self-indulgent existence, as a school boy enjoying a comfortable home and cruising along at school, comes to an abrupt end. He is expelled from school and will face criminal charges – all over a few photos he shared with his mates.

Understandably, his parents are horrified by the prospect of their son being sent to gaol. They both question where they may have failed to reach him and guide him as a teenager. The difficulty for his dad is that he, Peter, is at work at Mawson Station in the Antarctic – and not likely to be heading home for some time.

From the icy and challenging environment of the ice station, Peter Harvey writes to his son in an effort to try to advise his future choices as John’s trial looms closer. Interesting parallels are drawn of the challenges faced by early explorers to South Pole, as well as the daily challenges faced by those at Mawson, and are reflected within the episodes occurring in John’s life at home, as the consequences of his actions become real.

No longer attending a private school with his mates, John starts work as a labourer for a bullying boss, Ben’s dad, and begins to realise what he has lost. He continues to party hard and seek quick thrills. He admires Ben’s slick car and the status it offers, and dreams of owning something similar. But dreams can sometimes turn into nightmares. (Indeed, Ben’s life isn’t as rosy as John first imagined.)

Away from home, his father continues to struggle with his absence from his family at this time of need, and calls on significant others to help his son. Uncle Geoff, and JJ, his grandfather, provide John with physical presences and seek to help him make sense of his predicament. In his own world, Peter seeks help and advice from his work colleagues – all of whom share differing perspectives, which Peter in turn shares with John in his stream of regular emails.

Blizzard Lines (as noted in its blurb) slips between two worlds. John’s world, once comfortable and easy-going, has become a place of stress, angst and danger. Peter’s world is isolated and distant from this, while the people he works with provide insight, comfort and concern.

As things change for both of them, we view conflict and peace, mistakes and choices; and nod knowingly to the feelings experienced by the many of people impacted in this tale. Tim Hawkes has developed real characters, tied them all together in situations which today’s teenagers could very well face. Added to this, he cleverly mixes in some interesting snippets of history, and facts about contrasting worlds in which people live and work. And he describes how different people cope in these different worlds.

Reading Blizzard Lines, you should wonder: Who will grow in character from their experiences? what can be learned? and importantly, who will listen? (and what might the reader take from this book?)

Changing Perspectives – Pennies for Hitler

Linda J

For Georg, life in Germany is just fine – with 2 loving parents and a settled homelife. As an 11 year old, he believes all that his teacher, Herr Doktor Schöner, tells him about Adolf Hitler and the differences between races – even if his (English) father’s views were not quite as adoring.

Things change rapidly when there is a demonstration at a university graduation ceremony that his family attends – an uprising against Jews, and his professor father is caught in the crossfire. Georg and his mother flee the scene, and he is literally ‘packed off’ to live with an English relative, without knowing his father’s fate.

Since his grandmother has Jewish blood, Georg’s mother fears for his safety. In England, of course, it is his German heritage that could put him at great risk, so for a long time he has little to do with anyone other that his aunt and the local librarian.

Life is lonely for Georg, who must now be known as George.  To try to develop an English accent, he spends time reading and listening to the radio. His aunt is kept busy, spending long days away from the apartment supporting the war effort. In fact, life is not normal for many in London, as the war makes food scarce and, for their own safety, many children are sent to the countryside. When the bombing of London increases, his aunt’s workplace also has to be relocated, but Georg cannot go with her.

Once again he is packed off – this time on a ship to Australia to live with a foster family. For a while, he develops new friendships with other children on the journey, responsible as an older child for several others. Soon he finds that these friendships are to be taken away by the relocation exercise, and wonders if he will ever be able to maintain any family ties or friendships.

Sadly, many of Georg’s experiences were very real (and worse) for children who grew up in the war years.

Jackie French has again provided a story that is both well-researched and realistic. Using Georg’s perspective in changing situations, she makes us ponder how men define and create enemies, and how the truth can be manipulated by propaganda. It also helps us think about the many impacts of war on families, and how we decide who we love and hate.

Through it all, Georg is unsure of whether his parents are still alive. Hiding his German/Jewish heritage becomes crucial, as he settles in several different situations. Will he finally with a loving foster family in Australia, find happiness within himself and among the country community?

For a sneak preview of the book, here’s a link to the first chapter.

My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece

Linda J

Once upon a time, Jamie had twin sisters – but that was before the bombing. Since then, the fairytale has changed, and his family has become disjointed.

Now, his mum lives in London; while he and his sister (Rose’s twin) live with their alcoholic father – with Rose’s cremation urn on their mantelpiece.

‘My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece’ is told from the perspective of 10 year old Jamie, as he struggles to settle into a new school; dealing with bullying issues and the impacts of the family’s horrendous past. Clearly, Dad still struggles with the loss of a child; and Rose’s twin, Jasmine, reveals her own issues along the way.

Jamie is ever-hopeful that his mum will return,  and take family life back to normal. In the meantime, one of his only friends at school is Sunya – a girl with Muslim heritage.  It is hard for Jamie, in his childhood innocence, to understand why this might be a problem for his father to deal with.

So Jamie hatches a plan – one which will bring Mum back to the family, even though she already seems to have missed some of the most important family events in the last year. Jasmine is reluctant to get on board with his plans, but may be convinced to help out. And what about Sunya – will she understand that Jamie is not like his father? and would her parents also forgive Jamie for his father’s intolerances?

Lots of issues are reflected in this tale – told without driving to a fairy tale ending. It’s a well written debut novel for Annabel Pitcher – I’m just not sure about any of the cover images I’ve seen yet. Will they grab the audience they need?

Engaging, sad, reflective. What do you think?

Book launch – ‘Jac of Hearts’ by Jenny Mahoney

Linda J

It was a great pleasure to be at a book launch for a past teacher of our school recently, when Jenny Mahoney launched her first Young Adult book, Jac of Hearts. It is always inspiring to hear how and why a particular author writes, and this time was no exception.

Jac is a strong-minded, feisty young girl who wakes in hospital confused and disoriented after an accident.

Her heart refuses to believe her father is dead, in spite of what she has been told, and she isn’t very happy about living with a long-lost aunt, when she is released from hospital. Add to that, the confusing messages she gets from her step-cousin, Tom, who lives with Aunt Penelope, and the evasive Nat, who taunts her, and there is a lot Jac has to sort out.

Jenny wrote this book in response to weaknesses she saw in Twilight characters. Jac is a girl in control (most of the time); not a whining, like Bella. She doesn’t simper outside the action; in this mystery/ romance story she fully takes part!

Responses from girls who have read Jac of Hearts include: “Jac is real!”, “Being in her head was an enjoyable experience.”, “Jac is not a cookie-cutter kind of girl.”, “I love that Jac has had to deal with changes in her life (like me) and that she wrestles with her faith.”

So if you want realistic characters with romance and a bit of mystery and suspense thrown in, ‘Jac of Hearts’ is for you.

Another world – ‘Mountain Wolf’ by Rosanne Hawke

Linda J

‘Abdur-Razaq Nadeem felt the rumble in the earth, like a truck rushing underground.’ So begins the events which turn Razaq’s life upside down – an earthquake which wipes out much of his mountain village, including his family.

Set initially in a mountain village in Pakistan, Rosanne Hawke’s book , ‘Mountain Wolf’, reveals the precarious situations of many children following a natural disaster. The loss of his immediate family in the earthquake leaves 14 year old Razaq in the doubtful care of a lonely neighbour, Mrs Daud, who is experiencing her own shock and losses. In her disoriented state, she claims him as her son, then misguidely hands Razaq over to a stranger, who promises to help him find his uncle – in exchange for a paltry sum of money.

Thus, begins a tragic journey of  trading, as Razaq is taken to the city and sold into slavery. At first, he is a virtual slave to a restaurant owner; then from there he is exposed to an even more seedy side of life of child abuse and prostitution. His only hope remains in finding his uncle, who in a parallel story begins a relentless search for Razaq.

Rosanne Hawke writes from the heart. With the experience of participating in aidwork in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates, her stories are informed and real. The reader can truly imagine the places she describes, and empathise with each of the young, abused children. And the children she portrays are also real. Razaq’s growing understanding of his situation reflects the innocence of many real children who are caught in child slavery; thus, the story opens our eyes to the tragic situation of many children caught in the web of the child trafficking in many places around the world.

In ‘Mountain Wolf’, Rosanne Hawke also successfully blends differing points of view, with muslim Razaq being exposed to the Christian beliefs of Tahira, a girl similarly entrapped and abused. Together, they give each other hope in the most desperate of times, and their friendship is a tiny glimmer of happiness which keeps them going. Their friendship is also Razaq’s Achilles heel, as his captor knows he can control Razaq via Tahira. Meanwhile, the strength of family ties is clear as Uncle Javaid continues to search for Razaq.

‘Mountain Wolf’ is a challenging story, since it exposes a subject matter many would rather not know about. It’s probably a bit uncomfortable and a little too descriptive for younger readers, but the confronting tale tells an important story for a mature reader. (The author acknowledged this at its launch at the 2012 CBCA conference in Adelaide.)  Graciously, Rosanne has donated proceeds from the book to help children whose lives have been traded, and there is a list of resources used by the author that readers might like to follow up. (#I was unable to find out more detail…)

Other books by Rosanne Hawke, such as ‘Marrying Ameera’, are also commended for their gritty realism and the strong determination of her characters. For an understanding about how her writing and her life interests see: http://www.rosannehawke.com/

Where The Streets Had A Name: Randa Abdel-Fattah

Linda J

randaI recall listening to Randa Abdel-Fattah decrying the fact that many books about other cultures are written by those outside the culture. How authentic could such novels be, she asked? She also seemed to indicate that this lead to an urge for her to be the provider of the authentic experience – writing from her heritage from the things she herself knew and understood – as an Australian Muslim of Palestinian and Egyptian heritage.

‘Where the Streets had a name’ certainly meets the criteria Randa has set for authenticity. It reflects her high interest in Palestinian human rights and introduces the average Australian young adult reader to situations of dispossession, the daily struggles of people living with the Palestinian/Israeli conflict, and life under military occupation.

Hayaat, as a young but determined teenager, centres the story, after introducing her family situation and daily events – which can include curfews, rationing and disruptions to normal routines. As her grandmother, Sitti Zeynab  is ailing/dying, she longs for the homeland she knew – before her family was dispossessed and moved to a foreign place. Hayaat commits to bringing to her grandmother, soil from her homeland. While this homeland is physically only a short distance  away, there are many barriers to Hayaat’s mission due to political restraints. But she goes nonetheless, with her Christian friend, Samy, in tow.

To the average Australian teenager such a journey may seem incomprehensible, given the political situation, but with the humour and the silly optimism of Hayaat, Samy and their various encounters, there is much to be considered. And it provides an insight into life in Israeli-occupied Jerusalem – life in ‘an open-air prison’.

As an ‘Australian-born-Muslim-Palestinian-Egyptian’, Randa Abdel-Fattah lives in many worlds. She has always been passionate about Palestinian human rights campaigns due to her heritage. Her work as a lawyer is intricately combined with her authorship, and she is often called upon to talk about all of these things. A visit to father’s birthplace, Palestine, in 2000 inspired this book, as the tale of her grandmother’s own dispossession became clearer to her. 

There is lots to be learnt from this tale, as Randa grounds it in her in own life story. In her (first) book dedication, she states:

To my Grandmother Sitti Jamilah, who passed away on 24th April, 2008, aged 98. I had hoped that you would live to see this book and that you would be allowed to touch the soil of your homeland again. It is my consolation that you died surrounded by my father and family and friends who cherished you. May you rest in peace. And to my father-May you see a free Palestine in your lifetime.

While this indicates the heart with which Randa has written the book, it also gives hint to the urge she has to present realistic  reflection of life as a Muslim in the global  world today. One reviewer hoped that it would help young readers to:

‘grasp the seemingly endless turmoil of the occupied West Bank and Israel’ and ‘help adults grasp the ridiculous realities of insult constantly faced by residents of occupied Palestine’.  Naomi Shihab Nye, Wisdom and laughter in a child’s view of Palestine.The Electronic Intifada, 10 December 2008 Sourced from: http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article10011.shtml

For more about what inspired Randa Abdel-Fattah to write this and her previous books, ‘Does My Head Look Big in this?’ and ‘Ten Things I Hate About Me’, visit her web site FAQ page: http://www.randaabdelfattah.com/faqs.html

Do you think it is important for people to write what they really know? or can an author complete a certain amount of research to write an authetic novel?