Let's have a revisit to a lot of people's teenage years!
Mystic Ward
13 years ago
Mystic Ward
Twentyfamilies Gypsy
I Love this book. I read it a few years ago when my son had to read it for school. I've read it yearly since.
I love it too, we studied it in year 9 but I think I first read it in about grade 6. I love the poem by ... oh God, I can't remember his name... Clearly time for a reread!
Wanderer Ward
13 years ago
Wanderer Ward
Mage
Tsk tsk Cat. I believe the poem is written by a woman!!
It's called My Country, and it's by Dorothea Mackellar. Personally, that particular poem is my favourite piece of poetry.
On the topic of the book, I've read it a few times, and found it interesting, but only somewhat engaging.
Possibly because I was in my early 20's when I first read it, and so was past all the teenage angst stuff:p
Dreamweaver Ward
13 years ago
Dreamweaver Ward
Dreamscape Artist
I think you're talking about a different poem, BB - the one I immediately think of when I think of Looking For Alibrandi is Do You See What I See? That said, technically the poem I'm thinking of actually was written by a woman, but in the book it was written by a male character, John. It's an amazingly intense poem.
This is one of my favourite books! I actually saw the movie first, because it came out when I was in high school and everyone kept talking about it, so I saw the movie and then read the book. I love both - it's one of those few instances where the film (in my opinion at least :P) is as good as the book. Different, but great in its own right. ;D
Melina Marchetta's actually one of my favourite authors. If you're after a more adult read, BB, you might like to try her book The Piper's Son. It's a sequel to another of her books, Saving Francesca, but it's more adult in tone. (Kind of depressing in places, though, just so you know.) You don't have to have read Saving Francesca.
Another great book of hers is Along the Jellicoe Road, which has a very different setting and really doesn't have much in the way of teen angst, even though it is about a group of teenagers. It's more about group rivalry and history and there's an element of mystery.
Wanderer Ward
13 years ago
Wanderer Ward
Mage
Really? Hmmm, thanks for that Zeir...I can only remember the one poem disticntly, which I guess means it's time for a re-read!
Ok, I actually have Saving Francesca on my shelf....
I'm actually going to be watching the movie with my year 10 ESL class later this year. They'll have to then write an essay.
But I also recall reading it when I was in year 10! I really loved the book, and really enjoyed the movie too (so you can imagine how happy I am to be studying it with my year 10s!).
It is one of my favourite school texts. I especially could relate being a kid raised in a Chinese home.
I cried reading the part where:
John Barton kills himself, and the poem he leaves for Josie.
I think it's a really good text to study and a really good novel to read for teenagers. In particular, it is relevant when they themselves are studying their final year in high school.
