'The River And The Book' by Alison Croggon

From the BLURB:

Combining magical realism and fable, this lyrical tale is the story of a landscape and community destroyed by Western greediness.

In our village we had two treasures: the River, which was our road and our god; and the Book, which was our history, our oracle and our soul. Simbala is a Keeper of the Book, the latest in a long line of women who can read the Book to find answers to the villagers' questions. As developers begin to poison the river on which the villagers rely, the Book predicts change. But this does not come in the form that they expect; it is the sympathetic Westerner who comes to the village who inflicts the greatest damage of all.

‘The River and the Book’ is the new youth literature work from Australia author Alison Croggon. 

This is a thought-provoking and wildly compelling book of magical realism, exploring colonialism, and exploitation of indigenous people by the First World. It’s the story of a village that has a Book which is both oracle & soul – predicting future, answering questions – but when developers come and poison the nearby river, everything changes.

Our protagonist is young woman Simbala ‘Sim’ – part of a matriarchy within her village, of women who can read The Book. But then a stranger comes, a writer, who perhaps has her own best intentions, but they inevitably unravel the Indigenous Culture with corporate greed.

Yes, there are a lot of metaphors and not terribly subtle allusions to Western Imperialism in this short, 136-page book. But I don’t know that the subject of human rights and colonialism, alongside the annihilation of Indigenous cultures can be done light-footedly. And why should it?

This is a book appropriate for readers aged 12+, I’d say – and those young readers will find important, insightful discussion within its pages. That it’s often confronting and uncomfortable reading is one of its strengths. And the proof is in the fact that the book is endorsed by Amnesty International UK, “as contributing to a better understanding of human rights and the values that underpin them.”

Mely asked me today why I keep writing this book. I was surprised by her question, and thought about it for some time. I want, I told her, to tell my story to someone, even if it is only Mely who hears it. Mely pointed out that I could just say it to her, without all the bother of scratching the pen over the paper, and cursing at my mistakes, and having to start again. “I would listen,” she said. “I like to listen to you.”

While it is slow in parts, this book will nevertheless ignite serious discussions for young readers – among them can be investigating tribes that went undetected in the modern world and avoided Westernisation. But there’s also a bit of magical realism fun in here – including a sassy talking cat – and beautiful illustrations by Katie Harnett. A small book with a powerful message.

4/5

Reading Matters 2013

Christmas has most definitely come early for Australian fans of young adult literature.

Reading Matters is an event held by the State Library of Victoria’s wonderful Centre for Youth Literature (CYL) whose sole purpose is to promote reading for all young people. And in 2013, the CYL team have concocted quite a treat with Reading Matters – in which they bring beloved young adult authors to Melbourne for an event that celebrates all things YA.

 “Reading Matters is a Melbourne-based celebration of everything that’s unique and exciting in the world of youth literature: From storytelling impresarios to graphic novelists, insights into the narratives of games to debating the politics of YA fiction, this program is as diverse as the teen readers themselves.”   

So, have I piqued your interest? Well, hold on to your spectacles fellow bibliophiles – because yesterday the CYL team made the first of three announcements, revealing the author line-up for Reading Matters next year, and it’s a wee bit fantastic.

From the CYL website:

 

Gayle Forman is a Brooklyn based, award winning author and journalist whose articles have appeared in Seventeen, Cosmopolitan and Elle. She burst onto the scene with the bestselling, contemporary titles If I Stay and Where She Went, books that are infused with passion, music and memorable characters.  

Libba Bray is the New York Times bestselling author of The Gemma Doyle trilogy; the Printz Award-winning Going Bovine; Beauty Queens; and The Diviners series. She is originally from Texas but makes her home in Brooklyn, NY, with her husband, son, and two sociopathic cats.  

Andrew McGahan debuted on the literary scene with The AustralianVogel Literary Award-winning Praise. In 2004 he won the Miles Franklin Literary Award for The White Earth. The Coming of the Whirlpool was the first title in his move into youth literature –the beginning of a swashbuckling series full of action and adventure.

Alison Croggon has published award-winning poetry, plays and an opera or two. She started writing fantasy in the late 90s, was nominated for two Aurealis awards in 2002, and reimagined the spooky moors of Brontë in her 2012 YA release Black Spring.  

Myke Bartlett was born in Perth, and spent his first twenty years trying to escape. A trained journalist, Bartlett writes on politics, movies, pop culture and rock music for Australia’s best known cultural publications. His debut young adult novel Fire in the Sea won the 2011 Text Prize.

I am so, so, so excited by each and every one of these authors (and I'm crossing my fingers that Libba Bray attends at least one event in her infamous cow suit!). They represent some of the best that young adult has to offer – from the Miles Franklin-nominated to Printz-winners – covering a range of genres; from contemporary, fantasy, historic and everything in between.

These are some of the current Rock Stars of young adult literature – and if you don’t believe me, check out this post, in which Persnickety Snark recounts her American trip to the YA Lit Symposium & YALLFest last month, and includes a ridonkulously cool photo of the signing queues Gayle Forman attracts!

I am so excited for Reading Matters. Nothing compares to meeting your favourite authors face-to-face, waiting in line with a mixture of thrilling anticipation and crippling nerves for the chance to present a well-worn and beloved copy of their book for signing. To get a couple of seconds with them just to say; “Hey, you write like you’re in my head and while that’s sometimes unsettling it’s also unparalleled in its awesomeness. So, thank you.” And to also hear our favourite authors speak, at length, about what makes them and their characters tick, how they hone their craft and what else they have in store for us. 

Reading Matters is to young adult readers what Woodstock was to hippies and music-lovers, if you will. It's going to be an extraordinary opportunity to congregate with fellow fans and YA-worshippers, meet your literary idols and take your reading to the next level.

I. Can’t. Wait!

This is the current schedule for Reading Matters:

Tickets are on sale now, so hurry up and book your place for the young adult Rock-Fest of the year!