Book: Pastures of the Blue Crane

Pastures of the Blue Crane
H. F. Brinsmead, 1964
(Reread)

I got this book from my aunt and uncle as a 9th birthday present, so there's no telling how many times I've reread it. And with so many books that you read first as a child and later as an adult, there are many layers that you keep peeling back everytime you read.

It tells the story of Ryl, the lonely but aloof 16 year old girl whose spent most of her life in boarding schools in Melbourne while her father worked in Papua New Guinea. After her father's death, she discovers that she has a grandfather she never knew about, as well as a property in northern New South Wales. Ryl doesn't take to her grandfather, Dusty, immediately, but when they discover that the property was where Dusty was born, they grudgingly decide to go and check it out.

This begins a strange set of relationships for Ryl - between herself and Dusty, the ramshackle house, the view, the neighbours, the local 'surfy' kids, the taxi driver descended from Australia's slave population and even the strange bird who visits the pink pastures. Soon Ryl is learning more about herself and the people around her than she ever thought possible.

This is, in many ways, a book of its time. Some of the language is cringe-worthy to us now, even though a book which place people of non-European background as 'just like us' was revolutionary for its time. It pays to remember that this was still a time of the White Australia Policy, and even non-English European immigrants were treated with derision and bigotry. The book also delves into the history of slavery in Australia. There was a time period when 'blackbirding' - taking slaves from the Pacific Islands to work on farms in Australia occured. It's a period of Australian history pretty much forgotten by all and sundry, but well described in this book.

The reason I keep coming back to this book is the layers in the characters. No one's all good or all bad. They interact with each other in very human ways. Ryl in in some ways a grown woman at 16, and in others still a little girl. It's a really lovely book and one that's well worth reading.

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Book: Stargirl

Stargirl
Jerry Spinelli, 2000
(Reread)

Here's my first reread of the holidays. It's the story of Mica High, a normal school in a relatively normal town where everyone acts . . . appropriately. Then Stargirl turns up one day and no one knows what to make of her. They don't understand her long dresses or theme based clothing, they don't understand her singing at lunch time, they don't understand her pet rat. They're not even sure if they love her or hate her. And Leo doesn't know what part he plays in all of this.

This is a relatively easy book to read, and even though the characters are older (Leo's in 11th grade) it's appropriate to put in the hands of younger children. You almost feel washed along by the events of the book, sometimes you see what's going to happen, sometimes you don't, but there's nothing you can do to stop it so you just buckle up for the ride. But it is a book that stays with you afterwards, and one that I've come back to reread a couple of times. I particularly like the way it's narrated by Leo rather than Stargirl, I think we see the reactions of others and Stargirl's bewilderment better from there.

I would connect this book with Schooled by Gordon Korman, as well as other books about characters walking their own paths like The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z, Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree and A View from Saturday.

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Book: Getting Near To Baby

Getting Near to Baby
Audrey Couloumbis, 1999

Willa Jo and Little Sister are sitting on their aunt's roof, much to the dismay of their aunt and the amusement and shock of the neighbours. It's all been terribly confusing for the two girls, what with Aunt Patty coming to take them away and pushing them into a world of camp shorts and leather sandals. Willa Jo and her sister just can't seem to do anything right.

This is a really sweet and sad story about losing part of yourself and dealing with the reactions of people around you, while still trying to deal with your own feelings. There was a lovely mood throughout the book which would lead me to connect it with Love, Aubrey or Olive's Ocean.


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Book: The Schwa Was Here

The Schwa Was Here
Neal Shusterman, 2004

The Schwa isn't like other boys that Antsy Bonano knows. For one thing, he's barely there most of the time in the invisible sense. But after a series of tests - and dares - Antsy discovers that the Schwa might be a friend - even if he is easy to forget and hard to see.

While on a massive dare with the Schwa, Antsy meets Old Man Crawly, the cantankerous, rich, agoraphobic dog lover, who in turn introduces him to Lexie, his blind, persuasive grand daughter. Through his experiences with them and the Schwa, Antsy realises there's more to seeing and being seen.

This is a really fabulous book, that was kind of surprising. It was about perception, but it was also a mystery. It was about families and friendships. And I always adore books where young people are guided in the most unusual ways. I would connect it to books like Noah's Law and the Parfizz Pitch, just for its mystery elements and the way the kids get out and do things.

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Book: Dairy Queen

Dairy Queen

Catherine Gilbert Murdock, 2006

DJ pretty much gave up everything to take on the family farm. There wasn't much choice really, her older brothers left after The Fight, her father is recovering from surgery and her mother is juggling two jobs at once. And who needs basketball. Or a passing grade in English?

Then one day Brian, the quarterback of the opposing high school football team (do the words mortal enemies mean anything) turns up to 'help'. Before she knows what's happening, DJ is training him, and talking with him. Then she decides she wants more in life than cows.

This is an incredibly multi-layered, complex book. There's the outer layer - DJ runs the farm, DJ helps Brian, DJ decides to try out for the football team. But underneath there's relationships between parents and children, relationships between brothers and sisters, finding out who you are in a place which isn't always open to that, forgiveness, talking - so many different levels to peel back and think about. A really great read, and probably good to pair with Joan Bauer or Sarah Dessen books.

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