It covers a year in Juliet’s life and the year is 1975. Colour television was introduced in Australia, flared jeans were fashionable, and the landmark National Library of Australia building opened. It was also a time of political upheaval.
1975 brings lots of changes for Juliet, her family, and the whole country.
Juliet lives with her parents and grandmother, and has an older sister at university interstate. Her dad works in a quite senior position in the federal government.
She's entering her final year of primary school, and is expected to complete a year-long, individual project, one that she needs to choose for herself.
Juliet decides to compare her life growing up in the seventies, with her Gran’s at the end of the First World War and afterwards.
It’s a project that starts conversations with more than just her Gran, some of them straining relationships.As Juliet explores Australian history, popular culture, and events of the time, she learns about social and political issues like race, immigration, workers’ rights, women’s rights and education. Democracy and the eventual dismissal of the Whitlam government plays a big part in the story, too.
A House Divided threads together personal and political plots, demonstrating how we can and should learn from different generations and experiences. The story concludes with Juliet’s project, and her sharing what she learns about looking at both the big picture and details, about democracy, and what winning and progress really mean.
Historical fiction is one of my favourite genres, and this is an excellent example of it. I loved reading the story, and having lived most of my life in Canberra, it was great to recognise so much of the city, as well as history and popular culture.
Whether you're looking for a book for a young reader today, or you're a child of the seventies yourself, you'll find plenty to enjoy and to learn from in A House Divided.
Download Teacher Notes from the publisher's website.
Title: A House Divided
Author: Clare Hallifax
Publisher: Walker Books Australia, $ 16.99
Publication Date:
Format: Paperback
ISBN:
For ages: 8+
Type: Middle Grade Fiction
