ABBEY'S BOOKSELLER PICK ----- In 1914, when Maurice is 17, the war that breaks out overseas seems like a grand adventure. His older brothers and many of the other lads in his small country town and district have already enlisted, and despite his parents' objections, as soon as he is able, he also joins up. In 2012, Oliver, who is 17, is having a lot of trouble with his family, school and his girlfriend. His grandmother is starting to get dementia, and his little sister Poppy has been unable to speak since their father left and she contracted meningitis. Oliver wants to do the right thing by everyone, but his frustration and anger get in the way of sensible thinking. When his grandmother leads him to the diary of her older brother who did not return from WWI, Oliver sees parallels in the past with his unknown grand-uncle's life and starts to see other ways through his problems. Based on family diaries, this is well researched and has a lot of heart. Readers 14+ Lindy
Respected YA author Libby Hathorn has drawn on family history and done extensive research to write a fascinating book that profiles two young protagonists, both seventeen years of age, who are related: Maurice, who went to Gallipoli and the Western Front and his great-great nephew, Oliver, who is trying to deal with difficult family circumstances but whose discovery of Maurice's WW1 diary changes the way he sees the world. The balance of the historical and contemporary points of view makes this title perfect for use in the classroom, but also appealing to the YA reader.
Painstakingly researched and extremely well written, this is a novel that moves deftly and easily from one time period to another and yet still allows the novel to retain an overall sense of cohesion.
By:
Libby Hathorn Imprint: Harper Collins Country of Publication: Australia Dimensions:
Height: 199mm,
Width: 128mm,
Spine: 23mm
Weight: 439g ISBN:9780732299514 ISBN 10: 0732299519 Pages: 384 Publication Date:23 February 2015 Recommended Age: From 12 years Audience:
Young adult
,
Preschool (0-5)
Format:Paperback Publisher's Status: Active
