Everybody Jam
Publisher: Andersen Press
This is an unflinching look at life on a cattle station in the Australian outback as a family tries to come to terms with the death of their oldest son from a horrific accident.
Set during a long, hot summer, the story is told from the perspective of Danny, the youngest son who is learning to live without his older brother and prove himself at the annual muster. His 14 year-old sister is pregnant, the father unknown, and the family recruits Liz, 'The Pommie' to help out in the house.
Liz gets off to a difficult start adjusting to the Australian outback and its culture but soon befriends Danny and ultimately carries the family through life after tragedy.
This is an accomplished debut novel for older readers about a stranger arriving and turning everyone's life around. Told with Danny's distinctive voice you can really feel the heat, isolation and ignorance seeping from the pages.
