Once again Laguna gives us her version of a heroine, this time it comes in the form of ten-year-old Justine....
...Justine lives in the Australian outback with her grandfather, a Korean vet who drinks vast amounts of beer.
We discover she has two half-brothers, an absent dad and if that's not enough Justine is without a mum, dyslexic and feeling very isolated.
This is what Laguna does best, just like those Russian Nesting Dolls...
...she manages to give us a story within a story.
We learn through Justines overheard conversations what happened to her mum, to her 'Pops' wife, and crucially about her dads long history of violence.
This is an emotional and unsettling novel, which at times is very dark...it is that rarest of books that breaks your heart whilst giving you hope all at the same time.
Library Enthusiast thinking out loud...
Our Yarning, is a Save the Children's Library For All collection designed to offer First Nations children a range of stories that reflect their background with authentic storytelling.
The aim is to have these stories written by Aboriginal people in local Aboriginal languages as well as English...these stories will relate to hunting, fishing, family connections, ceremonies and community life.
Our Yarning's aim is to help make the literacy journey for Aboriginal children a success.
No comments:
Post a Comment