As far as Rain May is concerned, Clarkson is Boringsville. It's a million miles from nowhere and doesn't even have a pizza parlor. Plus, she'll have to shuttle back and forth between there and her father's apartment in Melbourne on weekends. But gradually, her new home's fruit-tree-filled garden, the area's astonishing wildlife, and the quirky draw of Daniel, the phenomenally bright boy next door, begin to win Rain over. When Rain learns of Daniel's particular burden, of which he's never complained, she begins to see her own life in a new light. Told partly in poems composed with refrigerator magnets and partly in Daniel's reports on the "aliens" next door, this unconventional, rich, and satisfying story offers plenty of humor and lots of heart.
Author
Catherine Bateson has won the CBCA Book of the Year for Younger Readers twice and received three Honour Book Awards, including one for Older Readers. She teaches in the Professional Writing and Editing course at TAFE but is also available for school visits, to talk about both fiction writing and poetry. Where were you born? I was born in Sydney, but grew up in Brisbane where my mother owned a secondhand bookshop. What other jobs have you had? I’ve been an incredibly bad waitress, but otherwise my work has all been within the arts and education sphere. What themes are recurring in your work? The theme of family is strong in my work – the families we make ourselves, rather than are born into. I put this down to being an only child – and also my father’s death when I was nine. What have been the highlights of your career? Without doubt, the highlights have been winning CBCA awards and the Queensland Premier’s Children’s Book Award. Having my third collection of poetry published in an environment that is financially hostile to poetry is also a highlight. http://bookedout.com.au/find-a-speake...
