The Half Life of Ryan Davis by Melinda Szymanik. Pub. Pear Jam Books, 2011.
Mallory Davis goes missing when she is 15 years old and leaves her family in turmoil. Is she still alive?
Three years later Ryan, who narrates this book, is now 15 years old and his sister Gemma is 13 years. They live with their mother who worships her missing daughters memory and holds her up as a paragon to poor Ryan and Gemma. They don’t stand a chance.
The police are still on the case and report that Mallory’s cell phone has been used. Ryan notices a strange car is following him. Is it all over?
When Ryan is found en flagrante with his girlfriend Kim and Gemma becomes interested in Ryan’s mate Alex all hell breaks loose.
A disturbing story but compelling reading. Tightly told in short chapters which capture the teenage voice very well. Almost a detective/mystery novel but has more depth than that.
Will have great appeal to teenage readers.
Letters to Leonardo by Dee White. Pub.Walker Books, 2009.
Matt Hudson has always believed that his mother was killed in a car crash when he was five because his father told him so. They have rarely discussed her and he can’t remember her face or her voice.
Matt knows he is different from his father because when it is his 15th birthday he wants to do art lessons and his father gives him a book on motorbikes. “What do you want art lessons for?” Matt is upset.
Then he gets an even bigger shock. It is a card from his motherstating “I promised I wouldn’t do this but your are 15 now-old enough to make your way in the world-old enough to know your mother”. Matt is blown away and takes his anger out on his father.
He decides he wants to find his mother even though his father gives him information about his mother that is disturbing. “She will only give you grief”. But Matt persists, what will the future bring?
Read it and find out.
The reference to Leonardo is an art one and a school assignment. Matt has to write letters to Leonardo comparing their different lives. In doing so he gets right into Leonardo’s life as an artist, and his work.
Worth a read this book for secondary school students. Similar in theme to Paul Jennings The Nest.
Best part of this story is the father. Makes mistakes but sorts it all and is understanding.
