Being Here - Barry Jonsberg (Allen & Unwin)
Sixteen-year-old Carly is interviewing Leah Cartwright for her local history project. With the magic of story, Leah draws Carly in – to her present, to her past and to her unique friendship with Adam.
Leah was a lonely child, on an isolated farm, whose only escape was into the world of books. And when Adam unexpectedly appeared in the orchard, she finally found a friend, a secret friend.
Being Hereis a beautifully told, bittersweet story about a girl whose rich imagination rescued her from a grim reality and an unlikely boy who changed everything.
Author biography
Barry Jonsberg's young adult novels, The Whole Business with Kiffo and the Pitbull and It's Not All About YOU, Calma! were short-listed for the Children's Book Council Book of the Year, Older Readers. It's Not All About YOU, Calma! also won the Adelaide Festival Award for Children's Literature, Dreamrider was shortlisted in the NSW Premier's Awards for the Ethel Turner prize and Cassie (Girlfriend Fiction) was shortlisted for the Children's Peace Literature Award. Barry lives in Darwin with his wife, children and two dogs.
Judges’ comments
This is a profoundly beautiful story, a memoir of youth retold in old age to a schoolgirl, forging a link between generations. A booklover’s tale, it recalls a girl who escaped from the isolation of country life and family tragedy through both the written page and an unusual friendship with a boy stranger. Jonsberg unravels her memories to give us a compelling affirmation of enduring love.