Island girl by Lolo Houbein
Hybrid Publishers,
2009. ISBN
9781876462888.
(Age 13+) Set on a remote island off the South Australian
coast, Island
girl
takes the reader on a tour of what it is like to live in a small
farming
community and the challenges that face young people as they look to
their
futures. Bianka has just left school,
and undecided about where her future lies, stays at home on the family
farm to
help her mother who is recovering from breast cancer. As
Bianka ponders what she will do with her
life, she uncovers a mystery about Flora, her great grandmother, a
brilliant
artist who left the island in mysterious circumstances.The
discovery of Flora's diary will lead Bianka to do much thinking about the directions that
a young woman can take.
Houbein paints a warm picture of family life, where each member is
valued for
their different talents, and hard work is appreciated. The gossip that
goes on
in small communities, as well as the secrets that families often hide,
are
examined in depth. The theme of self sufficiency is also strong. Bianka
grows vegetables;
collects seed from the bush and can build mud brick houses.
Set in the first person and narrated by Bianka, the language often
seems old
fashioned - she calls a boy that she
likes her 'romantic friend' - but the vivid descriptions paint a
memorable
picture of the beautiful island with its sandy beaches and seal
communities. I
found this book a refreshing change to the many books written by US
authors in
the first person. Bianka is not rich or selfish. She is a considerate
person who
is interested in the environment and who analyses what she really wants
to do
with her life on her path to independence.
The romance is gentle and caring. After encounters with Simon, a summer
visitor
to the farm, and Patrick, an island boy who prowls around, Bianka
discovers
what she wants in a relationship.
A thought provoking book, Island girl will have readers
thinking about
self
sufficiency, meaningful relationships and life in remote areas.
Pat Pledger