Everybody Jam - Ali Lewis

Title: Everybody Jam

Author: Ali Lewis

Genre: Coming of Age

Publisher: Anderson Press
Publication date: March 2011
Paperback: 336 pages

Series?: Stand alone

How did I get this book: I bought this book from Waterstones.


Why I read this book: It was on the Carnegie medal shortlist, (2012), and I read the blurb and comments and it sounded interesting so I decided to give it a go.

Blurb:

"Danny lives on a cattle station in the middle of the Australian outback, where everyone’s getting ready for the annual muster. But this year, everything is different: because Danny’s beloved older brother Johnny has died in a farm accident, and nobody talks about it: because his fourteen year old sister is pregnant, and about to be packed off to Alice Springs in disgrace: because his mother can’t cope, and has decided to hire a house-girl  and what they get is a wide-eyed English backpacker called Liz. She has no idea what she’s let herself in for. Neither do they."

Review:
.
Some people may think this book is a little long-winded, but personally I really enjoyed it.
One of my favourite things about the book was Danny and his pet camel Buzz - I loved hearing about what they did. It felt so real!

The ending was quite emotional, and personally I think it could have ended better, though it was still quite good.

I loved this book because it was something different - a break from all the other normal teen books I read, (mostly adventure/action).

It is fresh and new, and set in Australia and uses some Australian language, making you really feel like you're there and connect with the characters.

There were many interesting points in the plot - as more than one thing happening at one time.

This is a a really good book and I highly recommend it to anyone 14 and over. (I do not recommend it for younger people, as although it is not that rude it does have some parts of it including racism because that was what it was like at the time this book was set).

If there was a sequel, I would definitely read it.

Awards: Shortlisted for the Carnegie medal