Reviewed by Wendy Lipke
As the cover suggests this story is about sailing, but it is not just about that. It is also about family history and the tensions between two families who have been in a particular area for generations. With the main characters pre-teens, this story is also about friendships and jealousies.
Nell, Gemma and Charlie are all keen sailors but one of them is left out because of a family feud. When taking part in a sailing scavenger hunt, Nell and Gemma bump into a submerged house in the lake. The water level had dropped recently due to lack of rain. Here is a puzzle to be solved. Whose house was this?
At the same time Nell is torn between her parents’ wanting her to go to boarding school and her wanting to stay and continue sailing with best friend Gemma.
The author, Gisela Ervin-Ward, is a writer of children’s stories and specialist literacy teacher. Although she has published her work in magazines and won several awards for her efforts, True South is her debut novel and hopefully will not be her last.
This is an interesting story for all ages but is specifically written for the Primary School age group and probably for girls as the boy in the story is not very nice. Many of the issues raised are of concern for this age group. It highlights the fickleness of friendships and how older family members find it so much more difficult to let go of old perceived hurts and jealousies. It is often left up to the younger family members, who are far more accepting of differences, to show how something that might have happened several generations ago should not impact the lives of the present generation.
I enjoyed reading this story and thought it had a message for all generations.
True South
(2025)
by Gisela Ervin-Ward
MidnightSun Publishing
ISBN:978-1-922858-59-7
$19.99; 192pp