Award winning children's author Danielle Binks has penned a thought provoking novel for children about two children and their neighbour who are all going through, well, rather a lot. Leo's life has been a bit rough of late. He's almost finished year six at the local primary school. He's been abandoned by his childhood best friend Tash in favour of the cool kids, his dad has gone away to the other side of Australia for a while to get help with his gambling addiction and now, Leo has won a scholarship to a fancy private school in Melbourne that he is not feeling so sure about. Meanwhile, Tash, who has survived an aggressive form of childhood cancer, has made a sudden reappearance in his life. She wants Leo's help in delivering a letter to their eccentric neighbour from the other side of the creek. As the letters keep appearing, Leo finds himself growing closer to Tash and discovering the grim reality of the letters and the many cruel games that a property developer is willing to play with an elderly homeowner. Sometimes life is not fair, but Leo still needs to find a way to stand up for what is right ...
This was a thought provoking read. The story of Leo and Tash's friendship touched me very deeply--it's not easy for a kid whose friend has cancer and the author does a good job of showing Leo's feelings. However, what really drew me in was the story of Ms Shepparson and her resolve to stay in the house where she had raised her son. In a lot of ways, her story reminded me of Adelaide woman Eva Phelps, who refused to give in when property developers wanted her home. (Read more here.) Fair warning, there are some heartbreaking moments in this story (especially for readers who are dog people.) There are some wonderful themes of friendship.
Recommended.
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