Description
Don’t Forget to Remember Me is a heartfelt coming-of-age novel about first love, identity and the value of true friendship.
Thirteen-year-old Starling ‘Star’ Cooney lives with her grandfather, Roy, in Rocky Point. She has not made any friends – that is, until new student Bronte arrives. Then Roy disappears, and Star must decide who to trust as she searches for her mum.
Review
Star Cooney has had a difficult life. She is living with her grandfather, Roy, in Rocky Point near the beach. While she hasn’t made any friends, her life is much better than when she was with her mum. Roy has taught her to swim and fish and they make up new words together, and she loves spending time at the beach.
Tremayne is always giving her a hard time at school so she ignores him whenever possible, and when a new student called Bronte arrives she thinks she will ignore him too. But Bronte has other ideas, and Star finds herself becoming friends with him, and somehow with Tremayne as well.
She soon discovers that everyone has a past and problems in their own lives. Bronte’s real name is Brenton and he feels that he would be more comfortable as a girl, but he has feelings for both Star and Tremayne, so he is confused. Turns out Star and Tremayne both have feelings for Bronte too...
Their friendship is really put to the test when Roy disappears, and Star and her new friends go on the run from welfare to find him. The road trip becomes a chance to really find out who they are and who they want to be. Their friendship is put to the test when Tremayne reveals that his mum hits him, and Bronte reveals that he used to self harm but doesn’t any more. They are all forced to grow up, and together decide that this friendship is important to all of them.
This is a wonderful story of friendship and finding out who you really are. It deals with identity, first love, first kisses, self harm and family violence in a gentle way. The issues are not described graphically but woven into the story line with hope and resilience being constantly reinforced. It is a beautifully told story of family, friends and growing up. The relationship between Star and her grandfather Roy is clearly special to both of them, and is central to the whole story.
Best suited to those 14 and up who enjoy interesting characters and a great story.
Teacher notes prepared by the publisher are available on our website for this title.
