The Baynhams

Another "Old Ducks" bookclub read. This is a book written by an Australian author I am familiar with, Jackie French. My kids have been bring her books home from the school library over the years. When it was suggested as a potential for our bookclub I was intrigued. Would a book written to be read by children or adults alike be enough to grab our attention and focus? 

Even though it was an easy read, written through the eyes of an 11 year old boy, this book was really good. The description of the boys wonder as he had to adjust from life in war torn Europe to life in a laid back hot and dusty Aussie town was so good. I was brought back to our first year after emigrating here from the UK. The bombardment of the senses, every smell, every sound so different. 

It described so well the transition of a boy growing up with the propaganda of Nazi teaching that was being fed to him in his German school and which he believed utterly to be true right through to living with the "enemy" and realising everything wasn't quite as he had been taught. 

A real thought provoker, I cant wait to get stuck into this one at a future Old Ducks get together.