Reviewed by Debra Williams
Twelve-year-old
Ezra lives on the island of Saibai, part of the Torres Strait. He loves his
family, his friends, a laugh and – almost more than anything – a dare. When one
of his dares goes wrong, he realises he needs to make some decisions about
helping out and measuring up. He learns that there is more than one way to look
at nearly everything, especially after a fall-out with his dad, when he almost
sparks what could have been a fatal incident with his young brother.
When a large crocodile appears, staring at Ezra, his best friend asks whether the crocodile is directly looking at Ezra. When the reptile appears a second time, Ezra realises that he is bringing a signal of change to everyday life and the future.
A violent storm and flooding put everyone to the test. Ezra and his friend Mason must be more resilient and mature than ever, as they desperately work to help others. Ezra, formerly reluctant to move into higher schooling and his early teen years, has a re-assessment of everything valuable and important to himself, his family and his community.
The author has added an interesting note with information about croc-infested Saibai Island, which has a population of around 300 people. Whilst the characters and certain events are fictional, much of the information is based on reality. Saibai is closely connected to surrounding islands, including Thursday Island. Saibai has a primary school, airport and health centre. Children need to go to other islands for their higher education. There is the underlying theme of how important the effect of climate change is to the Saibai population, where permanent inundation by rising tides is a constant reality, bringing serious effects and erosion on their crops and water supply.
This
is a gentle tale of friendship, coming to maturity, the importance of
close-knit community and connecting with your totem spirit animal and will be
enjoyed by those aged 11+.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Buzz Words Books would love to hear what you think.