The Miracle Goal

The Miracle Goal by Tony Wilson (ABC Books) HB RRP $14.99   ISBN 978-0-733335-46-4

Reviewed by Karen Hendriks

The Miracle Goal is one of those books written from the heart.  It is based on the antics of the real life footy mad Selwood Boys, which makes it not only easy to read, but genuine and warm.  If you are an AFL fan and love footy, this is the book for you.  The book targets the 7 years plus age group and would also suit classroom teachers due to its broad range of topics so skillfully  covered.

Tony Wilson is a well-loved Australian author who inspires children to read and love books.  I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a book to ignite a love of reading in a child and who needs to find a book that suits a child’s interests.  Boys in particular will gravitate to this story, but girls will also soak it up.

The Miracle Goal is part of a series of books based upon the Selwood boys’ childhood growing up in Bendigo, Victoria and is based upon the funny things that happened to the boys.  The topics covered include footy, family, sibling rivalry, competitveness, pranks, school, friendship, fairness, twins and having a disability, so you get a lot of bang in one story.  There is madness, mayhem, mischief and mateship.

The sign of a good writer is the ease in which you can read and enjoy the story and this book does that.  The first few chapters introduce each boy and their individuality and little quirks.  Then the scene is set around footy and school by portraying all the characters to paint a vivid picture. I won’t give too much away as I think you need to read the book.

For some light hearted fun with learning along the way give ‘The Miracle Goal’ a whirl and remember to be the best that you can be. 

Another Night in Mullet Town

Another Night in Mullet Town by Steven Herrick (University of Queensland Press) PB RRP $19.95 IBBN 9780702253959

Reviewed by Dianne Bates

Here is a verse novel from award-winning Australian poet and author, Steven Herrick, which illuminates mateship, family relationships, and navigating life. 

For typical Aussie teenagers, Jonah and Manx, life mainly encompasses fishing (for mullet) at the local Coraki lake, watching -- and joining --school mates party on Friday nights and looking for courage to further develop their relationships with Ella and Rachel. There are other problems, of course, insofar as Jonah’s warring parents are ending their marriage, motherless  Manx has issues, too, and the boys’ lakeside town is about to be sold off to city outsiders for redevelopment. This creates tension in town, especially when someone scrawls graffiti against the Sydney interlopers on the local real estate office owned by newcomers, the Lloyd-Davies.

The story has strong messages which are magnified due to the format of verse with characters and scenes being conveyed in fewer words than that of a conventional novel. Herrick is a master at capturing so much in few words; his writing is crisp and succinct and evocative. There is a strong sense of place in the novel with tight but descriptive language that introduces the creek, the lake, the swamp near Lake Road (site of Manx’s house), the ocean, and the town with its large pensioner population.  Both boys were born in Turon where Jonah’s dad runs the petrol station with its mostly truckie customers and ‘goggle-eyed tourists’ on their way to Balarang Bay.

Herrick’s prose perfectly captures the book’s characters. Here’s a description of Manx as seen through Jonah’s eyes: ‘He walks like a draught-horse pulling a load/his head pushed forward, chin up/and muscular arms hanging by his side./His voice is a few octaves deeper and bass,’ hands the size of boxing gloves,/dark hair sprouting from each of his knuckles.’

In each verse, which has its own sub-title, one aspect of the town or its people, is described. For example, there are the consecutive sections called ‘Vodka Cruisers’ and ‘Broken Glass and Bravado’ where after drinking ‘the night always ends/with broken bottles/piled up on the sand/and all of year ten/wondering who’ll vomit first.’

If you are trying to get a teenager to read – especially a boy – this novel with its terse, and what have been described as ‘iridescent,’ verses, is a great book to encourage him to read. As usual, it’s likely that Another Night in Mullet Town will take out some literary awards.