'The best books, reviewed with insight and charm, but without compromise.'
- author Jackie French

Wednesday 9 October 2013

Review: A Lesson for Lina (Our Australian Girl)

Discovering who your true friends are is hard for anyone and especially for Lina. First her best friend Mary drops her to join the popular girls. Then she overhears her almost friend Sarah with whom she worked on the school magazine, calling her a wog to the popular girls. Both have excuses for their behaviour, but who can Lina believe?

Now Lina is sought after and is well on her way to becoming the writer she dreams of being thanks to her success of her story published by the school magazine and her excellent coverage of the Olympic Games, but she continues to feel friendless and alone.

Still, she is a girl of integrity, and surprises wait around the corner for her. She learns that Julia, another classmate, speaks three languages and has a multicultural background. They have many things in common and very soon, Lina has a new friend.

Lina’s meeting with her idol, the famous writer Stella Davis, is a catastrophe, for she proves to be a ruthless woman, hard and unkind. Lina is forced to choose between publishing her article and loyalty to her friend John.

Many changes occur in Lina’s life, and many lessons are learnt just as the family moves into a new house. Lina finally gets a room of her own room and a typewriter, plus a diary to write in like Anne Frank.

This is last book of a terrific series about an Italian migrant girl in the mid 50s looking for her place in the world. It is set in suburban Melbourne.

You can read the KBR review of the third book in the series, Lina at the Games, here. The Our Australian Girl books feature several four-book series featuring young Australian girls set at different times in Australian history. You can find out more about the books at the Our Australian Girl website.

Title: A Lesson for Lina (Our Australian Girl: Lina #4)
Author: Sally Rippin
Illustrator: Lucia Masciullo
Publisher: Penguin, $14.95 RRP
Publication Date: September 2013
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9780143307037
For ages: 10+
Type: Junior Fiction