Sea Glass (Rebecca Fraser, Wombat Books)
Rebecca Fraser is a vibrant voice in Australian junior fiction. Her novel Sea Glass is the beautifully executed story of 11-year-old Cailin, a pre-teen who is stuck with her mother and estranged grandfather in a dingy shack at Whitefoam Cove for the holidays. With her mum about to start a new job after the summer, Cailin’s holidays are now completely ruined having to stay with a grandfather who may as well be a complete stranger. Mourning the loss of her father, Cailin is ready to have a miserable time. Yet, the magic of Whitefoam Cove begins to unsettle the steadfast negative expectations Cailin holds. She and Grandpa begin to strike up a friendship when they bond over collecting sea glass on the gorgeous beaches of Whitefoam Cove. Then there are whispers of treasure in the town when tragedy hits and Cailin finds herself reeling while trying to cling onto the newly formed, but now fragile, connection with Grandpa. Fraser wields her pen masterfully to tell a story filled with wonder, humour, and heart. Thanks to Fraser’s knack for writing emotional, relatable moments, the novel’s characters all ring true to life and experience searingly realistic moments that give the reader emotional fulfilment. Ideal for reluctant or confident readers aged eight to 10, Sea Glass is a lyrical tale brimming with subtle themes of family and humour and love. A pleasurable and highly recommended read.
Brenton Cullen is a Queensland-based book reviewer, writer, bookseller and reader. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.
