THE AMBIDEXTROUS LIBRARIAN

Alex as Well (Alyssa Brugman) Alex as Well is a book that should be required reading for all those living through gender identity issues, or those who want to obtain a deeper understanding of the struggle of teenage years for those who are born transgender.   Alex is born "a bit of both", but her parents choose to raise her as male.  Alex hits puberty, and decides to stop taking her testosterone - she is a female, and wants to start living life as a female. The narrative begins with Alex enrolling herself in a new school as a female, electing to become vegetarian, and so beginning her journey of true identity.  Unlike Raven Girl , the story of Alex's transition to her true identity is not met with support from those who surround her.  In fact, the characterisation of Alex's mother, who writes down her horrendously selfish thoughts via an online "Motherhood Shared" blog, are enough to make anyone cringe.   Alex as Well  is a well written, engaging a...

Raven Girl (Audrey Niffenegger) A short, modern fairy tale of a girl born to a Postman father and a Raven mother, Raven Girl is a fable of love and identity, and finding the strength within to be who you were born to be.  Narrated in a simple but moving tone, with stark, somewhat childlike illustrations, the moral behind the fable is clear - know who you are, and surround yourself with those who accept you as you are, and you will have wings to fly. Interestingly, Raven Girl has also been made into a new dance for the Royal Opera House of Covent Garden.

The Witches (Roald Dahl) Don’t be fooled – REAL WITCHES exist, and their sole purpose is to eradicate ALL children due to the vile stench they exude!  REAL WITCHES are, of course, terribly icky, but they parade the world as lovely ladies and can only be spotted by those in the know! So begins the telling of a classic good vs. evil fairy-tale, where a young boy and his grandmother unwittingly find themselves in the midst of a large gathering of witches, led by none other than the Grand High Witch herself who plans to rid England of all children, forever!  Will their terrible plan be foiled in time? Packed with larger-than-life characters, colourful accents and disgustingly descriptive narrative, The Witches is bound to be a hit with children who enjoy a squeamish read! Dahl, R 1983,  The witches , Jonathan Cape, London. Children's - Horror

Girl Defective (Simmone Howell) As a teenager, did you ever look longingly at other people’s apparent domestic bliss, and wonder just why your family was so damn weird? Girl Defective’s protagonist, Skylark Martin, laments that her family are “like inverse superheroes, marked by our defects”.  As the daughter of an absent, artist mother, a borderline alcoholic father, and with a brother who is “on the spectrum”, Sky certainly has her share of domestic challenges.  Throw into the mix an older, unpredictable best friend, an intense teenage romance and a mysterious death (all against a St. Kilda backdrop) Girl Defective certainly delivers a colourful, engaging narrative.  A novel that tackles the issues of self-identity and familial relationships within romance and suspense, Girl Defective certainly offers the reader a little bit of everything! Howell, S 2013,  Girl defective , Pan Macmillan Australia, Sydney. Young Adult - Family

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (Ransom Riggs) Jacob had always assumed that his grandpa’s fanciful stories of the “peculiar children” and “monsters” were just that –stories, until he finds his grandpa fatally injured by one of the very “monsters” he so vividly described.  With his dying breath, Jacob’s grandpa imparts a cryptic message of an island, a peregrine and an old man’s grave... but what does it all mean?  So begins Jacob’s journey to uncover the truth in his grandpa’s stories, and his own personal truth. Beautifully illustrated in a stark comic book style which captures the movement and motion in a visual and even audible manner, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is a fantastic novel for young readers who are seeking an equal measure of action, fantasy and horror in their novels.  Riggs, R 2011,  Miss Peregrine’s home for peculiar children , Quirk Books, Philadelphia. Children's - Graphic Novel / Fantasy

We Were Liars (E. Lockhart) Welcome to the beautiful Sinclair Family. No one is a criminal. No one is an addict. No one is a failure. Narrated by Cadence, the first born grandchild of the wealthy Sinclair family, We Were Liars is a tale told across the summers of Beechworth Island; the private oasis of the Sinclair family. Life is perfect when on the island, and Cadence describes each summer through the experiences of “The Liars” a band of three cousins, Cadence, Mirren and Johnny, and one outsider, Gat, who is Johnny’s not-quite stepbrother. As the summers pass, Cadence knows that all is not well in the family; but like a good Sinclair she dutifully maintains the required image of perfection. But this thin veneer is shattered when Cadence wakes to find herself in hospital after suffering a serious accident during “Summer Fifteen”, which has left her with debilitating migraines and no memory of the event. Following her accident, Cadence begins her slow rebellion away from ...

Eleanor & Park (Rainbow Rowell) To say Eleanor and Park is just a love story, or a book on teenage romance, is to do it a gross disservice.  Eleanor and Park doesn’t just narrate first love, it takes you right back there again.  To read it is to feel the all-consuming glory of a first love; the detail and nuance of getting to know another person and to think about them constantly, the shock of discovering the way they can make you feel, the sheer bliss associated with these discoveries and the strange and exhilarating feeling of emotions that you never fathomed could exist.  Quite simply, this book beautifully and vividly narrates what it is like to fall utterly and completely in love for the first time. Eleanor is new to town and as a red-headed, freckled misfit with her own eccentric style, she knows fitting in will be tough.  Park is half Korean and half American, keeps his head low, listens to punk music and generally does his best to stay under the r...

Watermark (Penelope Todd) A short but memorable novel about the effects that choice and fate can have over a very short period of time, Watermark is set in the beautiful but isolated backdrop of the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. Zillah is a "normal" teenager who is the recipient of a mysterious letter written by an unknown acquaintance.  The letter invites her to visit Roimata, ask no questions, and bring very little.  Knowing that her predictable mother would strictly forbid accepting such a strange offer, Zillah makes her plans in secret, and in so doing makes her first "choice", and starts along her fateful journey. Faced with all manner of strange scenarios and people, Zillah learns how to trust herself and her instincts, but also learns how sometimes it doesn't matter whether something is a choice or fate, either can still have unpredictable outcomes and consequences.  In the end, Zillah learns that it is how prepared you are for lif...

Wintergirls (Laurie Halse Anderson) In this sombre tale on the tragedy of eating disorders, Lia struggles with the crushing isolation of her anorexia, distance from her family and the guilt and confusion that comes after a friend dies of bulimia. Lia’s estranged best friend, Cassie, dies of complications of bulimia after leaving 33 messages on Lia’s mobile phone asking for help.  Lia is left struggling with guilt over her choice to ignore the calls, and also the secret knowledge that she was sabotaging Cassie’s quest to recover from bulimia. Lia’s self-hatred is such that she absolutely can’t and won’t listen to the voice inside telling her to eat.  She also struggles with family, both wanting to make them happy but fighting against the anorexia telling her to hide her true self and remain independent. Beneath the disturbing narrative that documents the erosion of Lia’s life from anorexia, the moral of listening to your true voice, speaking of your troubles, and s...

Head of the River (Pip Harry) Leni and Cris are rowers and twins, and with Olympic rowers as parents, the twins see competition in everything.  Rife with sporting metaphors, the clear message of this story is the price you are willing to pay to win.  The book charts the slow decline of each character as they continue to sacrifice their true identities to “win at all costs”.  Leni cuts herself off emotionally from friends and family in the belief that frivolity does not fit with perfection.  When Cris starts struggling emotionally and physically to stay on top, he chooses to take steroids, despite knowing how ashamed his parents would be. As events progress, each character slowly realises their choices are actually making them miserable.  It is only after some choices lead to unintended (and tragic) consequences that both characters begin to understand their true selves, and what brings them happiness.

Our Little Secret (Allayne Webster) Set in small town America, this novel focuses on the destructive power of secrets, a lack of honesty with oneself, and how keeping secrets can allow exploitation to thrive.  Narrated against the backdrop of the recent rape of a young girl, Edwina finds herself flattered by the attentions of older boy, Tom.  Despite the incessant gossip surrounding the recent rape, Edwina does not recognise when her own experiences with Tom venture into the same dangerous territory. In her interactions with Tom, Edwina learns to quell the inner voice telling her to stop.  Keeping her experiences a secret, she does not understand she has been “raped” until she finally, reluctantly, confides in an adult.  The message here is clear – holding onto secrets can be extremely destructive, and healing can come from listening to your inner voice, and speaking the truth.

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (John Boyne) A strong tale on truth, identity, empathy, and the wisdom of listening to your own internal voice, this simply written tale explores a number of moral themes.  9 year old Bruno struggles to accept a disappointing new reality when his father’s mysterious job takes them to “Out-With” because “The Fury” has deemed it so.  Bored and unhappy, Bruno explores his surrounds, and in so doing befriends Shmuel, one of the mysterious people in striped pyjamas who lives “on the other side of the fence”. Through his explorations Bruno learns of the ability to “put yourself in someone else’s shoes” and understand that people are not always as they appear.  The tale ends with the terrible consequences of what can happen when the innocence of the young is perpetuated by adults hiding the truth, as Bruno takes a tragic final step towards understanding Shmuel’s position.