We are the luckiest, Elliot’s dad told her. And Elliot, of course, believed him. Elliott and her family have lived in the house of a thousand storms by Crooked River all her life, with her best friend, Drake, just a kayak ride downstream. But one ordinary evening, Elliott’s parents tell her some shattering news and Elliott realises they are no longer the luckiest. Has it all been a lie?
As Elliott’s life is split apart, she stands to lose all the places and the people she calls home. Except Elliott refuses to lose anything. Because if she lets go of everything she loves, Elliott will surely lose herself too. A heart-wrenching story of loss, love and the things you get to keep from the author of The Other Side of Tomorrow, CBCA Children’s Book of the Year Award Honour Book, 2023.
From Hayley Lawrence, the author of the CBCA 2023 shortlisted The Other Side of Tomorrow, comes an incredible story of surviving family upheaval.
Elliott is a Gillespie, one of the lucky ones. Her family have lived in this house at Crooked River for five generations. Foundations are strong.
So when her Mum announces that she is leaving the farm and leaving them, El’s world is shattered. This only gets worse when her Dad tells her that they can’t keep their home, her only home. El knows that she has to fight. But fight who and how? She always thought that she would be here forever, that this was meant to be...
Elliott is fifteen going on sixteen, and enjoying her happy life. She is starting to have more than just friend feelings for her best friend forever, Drake, who lives a short canoe riude across the river from her.
This beautifully written story deals with growing up and coming to terms with change. Elliott doesn’t deal well with change, and her strong reaction and feelings form the fabric of the story.
The other main characters are also well defined and add so much to the underlying message of hope and strength - that you can survive massive changes to your life and come out the other side a better and stronger person.
This is perfect for teens, especially those who may be facing parental separation or moving house themselves. I found it an engrossing read that I highly recommend to all readers aged 12 – 16 years.
