Leave
Taking by Lorraine Marwood (UQP) PB RRP $14.95 ISBN:
978 0 7022 6011 7
Reviewed by Dianne Bates
Here is a new verse novel for younger readers from the celebrated author of Star
Jumps, the 2010 winner of the Prime Minister’s Award for Children’s
Fiction. The theme of Leave Taking had its genesis in the author’s own (successful) battle
with cancer and her move away
from the farm where she raised her children. Basically, this book is a journey
through grief and a celebration of hope, with Toby, his mum and dad, leaving
their family farm after the death of Toby’s younger sister, Leah. Together,
they sort through all their belongings and put things aside to sell or throw
out. It’s a big task, and naturally Toby doesn’t want to leave the only place
he’s called home.
As his last day on the farm approaches, Toby has a
plan -- to say goodbye to all the things and places that mean something special
to him and Leah, from the machinery shed and Pa’s old truck to the chook house.
With the help of his best friend, Trigger the dog, he learns what it means to
take your leave.
As Toby says good-bye in this final week, he experiences
camping, a clearing sale and a bonfire night, meanwhile undertaking chores such
as milking cows, tidying up and packing.
This is a gentle story with no dramatic moments; the story action rolling smoothly through the course of the last week on the farm.
Written in easy-to-read free verse, the book will
appeal to readers aged 7 to 10 years who prefer short sentences and stanzas with
plenty of white space and pared-back descriptions. Simple black and white line
illustrations scattered through the book with drawings on the fly pages add to
the book’s appeal.
