Jackie French is one of Australia’s most prolific and diverse children’s authors. Her latest novel A rose for the ANZAC boys has been short listed for the “2009 Children’s Book of the Year for Older Readers”.
As the title suggests, the story is set during the First World War in 1915. As Europe, is torn apart by war, 16 year-old Midge Macpherson enrols at a finishing school in England. At the same time, her brothers are in the army and her twin brother, Tim, is listed as missing in the Gallipoli Campaign. Spurred on by the news of her missing brother, Midge, bored within finishing school, goes to France with two of her best friends, Anne and Ethel, with the purpose of establishing a canteen to provide meals to the troops travelling to the Western Front. As the girls deal with tens of thousands of soldiers who pass through their lives, they discover hidden strengths and abilities.
In A rose for the ANZAC boys, Jackie French has written a novel which focuses on the contribution of women in World War One and in particular, young girls. She has included at the end of the book a collection of notes which outline the course of the war and the role young women played in the war.
A rose for the ANZAC boys is a sensitive novel which explores the impact of the war and the tireless effort and sacrifices of ordinary people in the time of war
Reading level : Year 9 -12
Rating: (* * * * *)
Mr. T
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