Runaways by Sherryl Clark
What’s it about?
Big sister Cassie doesn’t get into trouble much, but little brother Jack does. He’s not malicious or deliberate about it, but he’s jittery and impulsive. Cassie adores her little brother, but neither of their parents seem to care about him. So when Jack runs away, she follows. A story told entirely in verse.
Who’s it for?
This sits around the upper middle-grade age range, boys and girls. I think it would be suited to students in school years 5-8.
Would I recommend it?
Runaways is a bit of a departure from my usual interests, so it’s hard to make a judgement. Unless it was to a person who particularly enjoys verse novels and seeks them out, I probably wouldn’t mention it. But I didn’t find it bad either, and as you’ll see below I think there’s a place for it in the classroom. I find it difficult to make recommendations when the target audience is quite removed from me.
Would I teach it?
I do think this could be a good (different) option for poetry in the junior years, particularly around year 7 or 8. I picked it up because I really enjoyed Steven Herrick’s The Simple Gift, another verse novel which has been on the HSC list for years now. Runaways is short – I read it in a couple of hours – and easy to understand, a good option to introduce poetic techniques and the way poetry can be used to tell a story.
Final thoughts
As I said above, I’m not familiar with many other verse novels and this one seems to be for a younger audience than the kinds of books I’d read for enjoyment. But I’m glad I read it. We’re now more than halfway through the year, and while I’m finding myself reading more and more YA, I’m also making an effort to try out a wide variety of writing. Pick up something new. You never know if you’ll love it. Oh, and for my “novel map”: Runaways moves through three states – Victoria, Western Australia and South Australia. I think my virtual trip around the country is only missing Tasmania.
What’s it about?
Big sister Cassie doesn’t get into trouble much, but little brother Jack does. He’s not malicious or deliberate about it, but he’s jittery and impulsive. Cassie adores her little brother, but neither of their parents seem to care about him. So when Jack runs away, she follows. A story told entirely in verse.
Who’s it for?
This sits around the upper middle-grade age range, boys and girls. I think it would be suited to students in school years 5-8.
Would I recommend it?
Runaways is a bit of a departure from my usual interests, so it’s hard to make a judgement. Unless it was to a person who particularly enjoys verse novels and seeks them out, I probably wouldn’t mention it. But I didn’t find it bad either, and as you’ll see below I think there’s a place for it in the classroom. I find it difficult to make recommendations when the target audience is quite removed from me.
Would I teach it?
I do think this could be a good (different) option for poetry in the junior years, particularly around year 7 or 8. I picked it up because I really enjoyed Steven Herrick’s The Simple Gift, another verse novel which has been on the HSC list for years now. Runaways is short – I read it in a couple of hours – and easy to understand, a good option to introduce poetic techniques and the way poetry can be used to tell a story.
Final thoughts
As I said above, I’m not familiar with many other verse novels and this one seems to be for a younger audience than the kinds of books I’d read for enjoyment. But I’m glad I read it. We’re now more than halfway through the year, and while I’m finding myself reading more and more YA, I’m also making an effort to try out a wide variety of writing. Pick up something new. You never know if you’ll love it. Oh, and for my “novel map”: Runaways moves through three states – Victoria, Western Australia and South Australia. I think my virtual trip around the country is only missing Tasmania.
Tincture Issue 9
What’s it about?
Lots of things! Unlike short story collections or essay collections, literary journals include a variety of types of work as well as a variety of authors and themes. There’s often an overarching sense of style, although I’m not sure I could pinpoint a common theme in the works showcased in this particular issue.
Who’s it for?
Unfortunately I think literary journals have an unfairly limited audience, as people either think of them as “for intellectual types” (the ones who only read fiction from the literary shelf) or they simply don’t show up on people’s radar at all. Writers know and read literary journals, although it’s often because they hope to be published in them and not just for pleasure. But in answer to the question: for adults who like to read.
Would I recommend it?
Yes. There’s a lot of great stuff in here, and even though one or two pieces didn’t grab me, there were others that stayed with me for days after. It’s almost a lower-risk way of trying out new and different writers (see my “final thoughts” on Runaways), because one e-book gets you a dozen samples of work. Short works are also fantastic for short snippets of time: on the train, waiting for a meeting etc.
Would I teach it?
I wouldn’t teach the whole issue as a collection, but there are stories, essays and poems in it that I would include as part of a unit of work on a particular theme or text type. For example, the short story “Nothing But Mammals” by Ramon Glazov would make a great related text for seniors doing something like Belonging.
Final thoughts
I often see teachers asking for short story recommendations and almost always the recommendations they receive are collections from famous writers, or stories written decades (or generations) ago. We seem to be afraid of modern writing because of the perception that it’s less regulated and edited – and if you just type “short story” into Google it’s true that you don’t know what you’re getting. If you’re looking for Australian literary journals, I also suggest checking out Southerly, Kill Your Darlings and Overland. The other thing to keep in mind with Tincture is that it’s only available as an ebook.
What’s it about?
Lots of things! Unlike short story collections or essay collections, literary journals include a variety of types of work as well as a variety of authors and themes. There’s often an overarching sense of style, although I’m not sure I could pinpoint a common theme in the works showcased in this particular issue.
Who’s it for?
Unfortunately I think literary journals have an unfairly limited audience, as people either think of them as “for intellectual types” (the ones who only read fiction from the literary shelf) or they simply don’t show up on people’s radar at all. Writers know and read literary journals, although it’s often because they hope to be published in them and not just for pleasure. But in answer to the question: for adults who like to read.
Would I recommend it?
Yes. There’s a lot of great stuff in here, and even though one or two pieces didn’t grab me, there were others that stayed with me for days after. It’s almost a lower-risk way of trying out new and different writers (see my “final thoughts” on Runaways), because one e-book gets you a dozen samples of work. Short works are also fantastic for short snippets of time: on the train, waiting for a meeting etc.
Would I teach it?
I wouldn’t teach the whole issue as a collection, but there are stories, essays and poems in it that I would include as part of a unit of work on a particular theme or text type. For example, the short story “Nothing But Mammals” by Ramon Glazov would make a great related text for seniors doing something like Belonging.
Final thoughts
I often see teachers asking for short story recommendations and almost always the recommendations they receive are collections from famous writers, or stories written decades (or generations) ago. We seem to be afraid of modern writing because of the perception that it’s less regulated and edited – and if you just type “short story” into Google it’s true that you don’t know what you’re getting. If you’re looking for Australian literary journals, I also suggest checking out Southerly, Kill Your Darlings and Overland. The other thing to keep in mind with Tincture is that it’s only available as an ebook.
Pieces of Sky by Trinity Doyle
What’s it about?
Pieces of Sky follows Lucy, age 16, in the first term back at school following the drowning of her brother. Everything in her life has been broken by Cam’s death: she was a competitive swimmer, but now she can’t get back in the pool; her mum can’t get out of bed; her dad only hears what he wants to hear; her aunt is staying much longer than Lucy wants; and she doesn’t know what to feel about friends new and old. Plus, someone keeps texting her dead brother’s phone.
Who’s it for?
Young adults! Key themes include romantic relationships, friendships, grief, family, mental health and identity.
Would I recommend it?
Yes. It’s emotional but realistic. Every single character is portrayed as believably flawed but generally good. The mess of real life is in there, and Lucy doesn’t win every battle she’s got to conquer, but there’s a hopeful, uplifting tone to it. I enjoyed it a lot.
Would I teach it?
Yes, to a year 9 or 10 group. As always, I’ll include a warning about sex, language and drug use for teachers in more conservative schools. References to sex are quite PG and more about the main character thinking about the longer-term impacts if she were to decide to do it. The drug use threw me a bit, because it was so casual – three quarters of the characters partake in it and while I wouldn’t say it’s condoned, it does seem to just be an accepted part of life with minimal impact on all but one character. That wouldn’t turn me off teaching it, but it would definitely be a point of discussion with my class that I would take further than the book does.
Final thoughts
I found this on #LoveOzYA and I have to say, they haven’t let me down on recommendations yet. If you’re on twitter and you haven’t checked it out yet, please do! Also, Pieces of Sky puts a pin in coastal NSW, around the Newcastle area.
What’s it about?
Pieces of Sky follows Lucy, age 16, in the first term back at school following the drowning of her brother. Everything in her life has been broken by Cam’s death: she was a competitive swimmer, but now she can’t get back in the pool; her mum can’t get out of bed; her dad only hears what he wants to hear; her aunt is staying much longer than Lucy wants; and she doesn’t know what to feel about friends new and old. Plus, someone keeps texting her dead brother’s phone.
Who’s it for?
Young adults! Key themes include romantic relationships, friendships, grief, family, mental health and identity.
Would I recommend it?
Yes. It’s emotional but realistic. Every single character is portrayed as believably flawed but generally good. The mess of real life is in there, and Lucy doesn’t win every battle she’s got to conquer, but there’s a hopeful, uplifting tone to it. I enjoyed it a lot.
Would I teach it?
Yes, to a year 9 or 10 group. As always, I’ll include a warning about sex, language and drug use for teachers in more conservative schools. References to sex are quite PG and more about the main character thinking about the longer-term impacts if she were to decide to do it. The drug use threw me a bit, because it was so casual – three quarters of the characters partake in it and while I wouldn’t say it’s condoned, it does seem to just be an accepted part of life with minimal impact on all but one character. That wouldn’t turn me off teaching it, but it would definitely be a point of discussion with my class that I would take further than the book does.
Final thoughts
I found this on #LoveOzYA and I have to say, they haven’t let me down on recommendations yet. If you’re on twitter and you haven’t checked it out yet, please do! Also, Pieces of Sky puts a pin in coastal NSW, around the Newcastle area.
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