‘Please tell us the story.’
‘Yes, the story.’ My brother nudges me.
‘Pleasssse, Father.’
Father always pretends he won’t tell us, but he always does.
Each time, the story is more amazing.
‘Alright, tonight I will tell Grandfather’s story.’
My name is Gracie
Today, I’m a squiggly black spider.
My brother Josh helps me make my spider legs
They look like fat sausages.
Josh gives me his woolly black beanie.
His favourite one has green stripes.
A small girl is secure in the love of her parents and her toy dog, Brownie. Her parents work very hard in Australia, but are scarred by the memories of the war that forced them to flee their homeland. Her mother was a teacher, her father a farmer, but here in Australia, they take the … Continue reading “Ships in the Field, by Susanne Gervay & Anna Pignataro”
Leo’s staying this weekend. Mum has ordered me to clean my room. I don’t see why I have to. Mum told Samantha that she has to help me. I don’t want her to. My head is thumping and she’s humming. I grit my teeth. ‘Stop humming.’ She doesn’t. I ignore her. In I am Jack … Continue reading “Always Jack, by Susanne Gervay”
I write because I write. I’ve always done it. Private, emotions-on-the-page lyrics. Not-to-show-anyone words. Lately it’s been spilling out. Flooding me. Sometimes the music screams at me, exploding into my mind. Lyrics and music. I can’t stop them. Pip lives for music. Sometimes it is fun, other times it’s an escape from the real world, … Continue reading “That's Why I Wrote this Song, by Susanne Gervay”
In I am Jack, Jack faced bullies at their worst, and learnt a lot about himself and his family. Now, in SuperJack, he is a year older and has to deal with a changing family. Jack’s family are great, but a little crazy. His mum loves doing star jumps, his step-Dad, Rob, is obsessed with … Continue reading “Super Jack, by Susanne Gervay”
Katherine is just like any other eighteen year old – she has dreams and she has insecurities. Still, she is keenly aware that she doesn’t look like other eighteen year olds. An accident at the age of three has left her with severe burn scars. At times Katherine believes that no one else can possibly … Continue reading “Butterflies, by Susanne Gervay”
Jack has a problem. George Hamel, the school bully, has started calling him Bum-head. Soon, the whole school is calling him names, spitting at him, even hurting him physically. Jack can’t tell his mum because she has too many other things to worry about. He will have to work it out for himself. I am … Continue reading “I am Jack, by Susanne Gervay”
Sam isn’t keen on going on school camp. For eight days he and a group of boys he doesn’t particularly like are going to trek through the bush, over mountains and even into caves, on a survival camp that is supposed to be a physical and personal challenge.Sam’s friends are in a different group and … Continue reading “The Cave, by Susanne Gervay”
I slid down the icy balustrade outside our town house. The chill of the evening fairly took my breath away, then, I was airborne. I landed in the flurry of snow at the base of the stairs, startling the band of carol singers who had just crossed the street. Father opened the door and took … Continue reading “Once Upon a Christmas, edited by Beattie Alvarez”
