Sunshine on Vinegar Street (Karen Comer, A&U Children’s)

Everything in Freya’s world has changed. Her dad has taken a job in Broome for the next 18 months and her mum has a new job in the inner-city Melbourne suburb of Abbotsford. Moving to the city, an hour away from everything you know, feels like a whole lot more when you’re only 12 years old. Change doesn’t come easy. For Freya, basketball is her something, but in her new town, the girls who are friendly play netball and the girls who are mean to her are the ones in her basketball team. Compounding that, she’s afraid of lifts and her new home is on the 11th floor! Her woes don’t end there—and Freya must dig deep to try and rise above. Karen Comer, whose debut was YA verse novel Grace Notes (Lothian), hits just the right notes in Sunshine on Vinegar Street, guiding the reader through frustration, hope, determination and resilience, slowly building to acceptance and belonging. Freya is never too perfect to be real and is a fantastic example for older middle-grade readers of how to take those angry, bitter thoughts and feelings you might have when something goes wrong and be more productive with them. Written in verse, Sunshine on Vinegar Street is a great example that novels don’t always need to follow a strict format to succeed. This universal story is perfect for any young reader who’s ever felt left on the outside, and will appeal to fans of Nova Weetman.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Anneliese Gates is a writer and works in a primary school library. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

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Category: Reviews