Irini Savvides

Don't bother! Absolutely boring with very irritating characters.

This entire series is a wonderful way to learn history or teach it to adolescents. I find today's generations seem to recall more when they learn through other people (pop songs, celebrity gossip, etc.), so what better way to teach history than through someone else's perspective? Yes, "authentic" diaries would be "better", but would the language really hold the modern student's attention? Did the diary writer know what WOULD be important in the context of history? Probably not.

Another fantastic novel by Irini Savvides, written in verse fiction. Katie has moved to inland Sydney, away from her beloved ocean, as she and her father recover from her mother's betrayal. At her new school, she meets two Greek girls, Effi and Christie, and initially gets off on the wrong foot. As the poems continue, you discover the similarities between the girls, the sorrows they all have, as well as the culture clashes that inevitably lead to violence. A truly wonderful read.