Have You Read These?

Now I have to say straight off that when I bought this novel I didn't realise it was teen fiction.  And for all intents and purposes it is meant for the teen audience, but none the less I really enjoyed it.  Set in Australia it is the tale of Simone whose father dies and whose mother Dawn is left to raise Simone and her two brothers on her own.  Simone hears her dad's voice from the huge tree in the backyard, and when she climbs the tree she begins to have conversations with her dad.  She tells her mum, who at first doesn't believe her, but then she too climbs the tree and as she talks and argues and laughs and cries with her husband in the tree, the neighbours and her children are left wondering and talking about her sanity.

The tree though has grown huge and it's roots threaten the stability of the house and the lives of those who live in it.  

This was an interesting read, different to anything I had read before and I enjoyed the family as they tried to patch their lives back together after the too sudden death of father and husband.

Another great little book, also a teen novel was Shug, like sugar.  The turning from childhood to being a teen, the turmoil and the changes that Shug undergoes made me wince remembering my very own teenage angst, and laugh at the memories of the silly things we say do and worry about as teenagers.  If you are looking for a book for your children or grandchildren, I'm sure they will enjoy Shug.