Those Girls (Pamela Rushby, Walker)

When Australia entered World War II, new possibilities emerged for women to enter the services, work in munitions or uniform factories, or join the Land Army to fill the workforce shortfalls. Pamela Rushby’s young adult novel Those Girls paints an indelible picture of the lives of some women in the Queensland Land Army, describing how exploitation, poor conditions and sexism were constant challenges. Protagonist Hilly has a brother who is a prisoner of war in Singapore, so at age 16, forsaking her dreams of becoming a writer, she joins the Land Army to contribute to the war effort. Hilly works alongside Aileen, who is escaping an unhappy marriage, and Gladys, who is strong and willing to work but isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed, which makes her an ideal target for exploitation. The fact that those who joined the Land Army included Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls is referenced by the inclusion of the minor character Nancy, a First Nations girl about whom we learn little but who tells protagonist Hilly that she would like to join the Land Army too. Rushby’s portrayal of Hilly, Aileen and Gladys makes them feel like contemporary characters, while issues they face in the historical context, such as gender discrimination, unfortunately still resonate today. Some will fail, while many will triumph. Their stories are engrossing, and I was quickly drawn into their world. Rushby expertly paints a picture of 1940s Brisbane by including local details such as drinking lime spiders at Christie’s and wearing Cherry Ripe lipstick, and even includes a gripping description of the famous Battle of Brisbane, when tensions between the ‘Yanks’ and ‘Aussies’ reached boiling point. For readers aged 14+ who have enjoyed Katrina Nannestad’s and Jackie French’s novels.