Article by: Sunshine Girl On A Rainy Day

The very best books for young adults are those that capture their interest, engage them with humor — and offer them valuable insights into human relationships.

I have recently been very impressed by the creativity and talents of three Australian authors, who specialize in fiction for teens.

JACYLN MORIARTY
All three of Jacyln Moriarty’s books are innovative in format.

In her first book, Feeling Sorry for Celia, the narrator receives imaginary letters from different associations, commenting on her progress on running, romance and living up to the teenage prototype.

Moriarty’s second book, Finding Cassie Crazy, is shared through emails, diary entries and letters back and forth between the students of two rival schools. This book was my favorite. The friendships shared between Cassie, Lydia and Emily and their growing relationships with Seb, Charlie and the mysterious Matthew were fascinating and unpredictable.

Becoming Bindy MacKenzie, third in the series, juggles a variety of formats, diary entries, personal memos and emails, to name a few.

MELINA MARCHETTA
Saving Francesca, by Melina Marchetta, caught my eye and drew my interest from the very first page. Shortly after Francesca starts is transferred to St. Sebastian’s, a Sydney boys’ school now accepting girls, her vivacious mother falls into a deep depression

Melina Marchetta works as a teacher in Sydney, which might explain why this book is so true-to-life. The characterization is spot-on, the pop culture references are hilarious and the voice of the protagonist, despite her attempts to fade into the background, is undeniably strong.

BARRY JONSBERG
Barry Jonsberg was born in Liverpool, but it was only after he moved to Australia in 1999 that he began writing fiction for teenagers.

In Barry Jonsberg’s recent book It’s Not All About YOU, Calma, its protagonist refers to her mother as “The Fridge” because the two of them communicate primarily through notes left on the refrigerator door. Calma suspects that the Fridge is hiding something from her, and is determined to find out what it is…

Early on in the book, Calma warns the reader about “unreliable narrators,” and makes no promise to be completely objective herself. When her estranged father reappears, she is less than eager to rekindle a relationship with him. Yet, he keeps reappearing at inopportune moments, such as while she is working at a grocery store and attempting to thwart a hold-up.

WARNING: These books are laugh-out-loud funny. If you read them in public, strangers will shake their heads at you and worry about your mental health.

How do these stories relate to child protection?
- Teens dealing with the death of a parent should read “Finding Cassie Crazy.”
- Teens faced with the divorce of their parents should read “It’s Not All About You, Calma.”
- Teens coping with parental mental illness should read “Saving Francesca.”