"One lost girl. One girl on a mission. Together they discover friendship, courage and identity in the Australian Outback"
Readers will be immediately hooked by the intriguing opening to this novel. A girl wakes up in the middle of the Australian desert with no idea of who she is or how she got there or why she is carrying a strange heavy case. Her life is saved when she meets Tarni, a First Country girl from the Alaywarre community. Tarni is on a mysterious quest of her own and together they set off on a trek through the ever changing Outback.
The location is as beautifully evoked as these intriguing characters and as their stories unfold and memories are awakened, a strong bond is formed between the girls despite their cultural and economic differences. Music is a strong theme throughout the book, not just because of what the case contains, but through the ancient song lines which Tarni uses to navigate their route.
Respect for ancient traditions and the powerful connections between people and places is an important aspect of this remarkable and beautifully written story. We also confront the imbalance of power between the First Country and the white community reflected in the importance put on the life of a white girl but not on that of a First Country girl.
This book has a powerful message of equality and empathy, spirituality and identity. An intense and rewarding reading experience that fans of her debut novel The Shark Caller will absolutely devour.
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The Song Walker is an extraordinary new story of friendship, discovery and courage from Zillah Bethell, author of The Shark Caller which won the Wales Book of the Year and the Edward Stanford Children's Travel Book of the Year 2022.
There are three questions that I need to find the answers to: Where am I? What am I doing here? And... Who am I?
When a young girl wakes up in the middle of the desert, she has no idea who she is. She's wearing one shoe, a silky black dress, and she's carrying a strange, heavy case. She meets Tarni, who is on a mysterious quest of her own. Together, the two girls trek across the vast and ever-changing Australian Outback in search of answers. Except both are also hiding secrets.
Perfect for fans of Katherine Rundell and Eva Ibbotson, this is an astonishing story about friendship and finding the courage to move on. Written in Zillah Bethell's spellbinding and beautiful style, The Song Walker is set to become a modern-day classic.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed The Song Walker and determined it is suitable for children aged 9-12 years old
The Song Walker features in the following genres: Adventure Stories, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Featured Books for 11+ readers, Recommendations, People / Places, Children’s / Teenage: General interest, Star Books, Stories about Family and Friends, Featured Books for 9+ readers
The Song Walker is available in Paperback
The Song Walker was written by Zillah Bethell and published by Usborne Publishing Ltd
The Song Walker has 357 pages
£7.19
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