A gently lyrical story about discovering Country and the importance of family, friendship and the magic of the bush, from an emerging Indigenous talent and winner of a black&write! Fellowship.
When eleven-year-old Alex moves to Adelaide from London after her mother gets engaged to a man across the globe, Alex must negotiate a new country, a new school, and (most difficult of all) a new stepbrother, the prickly teenaged Koen.
What sustains Alex in this strange new world is the wonder of the natural world around her, particularly a magnificent tree that comes to represent magic, resilience and strength.
Alex discovers the mystery of the bush, the true impact of climate change and a passion to fight for what is right.
Alex is a young girl who has a lot to deal with! She is not only grieving her Dad, but now she is navigating a whole new life in Adelaide, after her Mum decides to move there from England so that they could start a new life with her Mum’s fiancé, Art.
But it is not just Art they will be living with - his moody teenage son, Koen, also lives there. And Adelaide is nothing like London. It’s hot – and like nothing Alex has ever experienced.
When her Mum insists that she has to start school just before the end of the school year so that she can settle in and make friends, Alex is not thrilled. A couple of bully boys at school certainly don’t help her to feel welcome, not to mention Koen’s band friends who seem to go out of their way to be mean to her at home.
It is not until she starts to explore the nature around them that things start to improve for Alex. She loves exploring this new world, and she starts to connect with some of the other kids in the area, who also go to her school, who love the natural environment as much as she does.
And when she meets Kirra, Koen’s twin who has been living with their Mum, Alex really starts to believe that she does have a new family after all. But will the ongoing threat of bushfires destroy the new life that they are now creating?
This is a wonderful story of accepting change, family, friendship, being resilient and having hope. Her new found love of the bush inspires Alex to fight for what she believes in and to try and make a difference in the world. It will be enjoyed by all students in middle to upper primary.