The Happiest Man on Earth is a story of survival. It's barely imaginable. Even though Eddie gives us a glimpse of what he went through, we really cannot understand the adversity he experienced, but we can give his story a voice
Missing is one that wouldn't let me put it down. Sue's book is engrossing, raw and emotional, especially when you think you know how it is going to end and it isn't how you thought it would be.
I read a lot of children's chapter books, but none have been quite like this one, its story is fresh and real, with an injection of history that brings it all into a well paced adventure.
You know a book is fairly special when there are themes of solidarity and equality, where men stand up for the rights of women, where a little girl marches with millions of other women for their future.
There is such strong YA fiction being written in Australia at the moment, and Sparrow is right up there as being one of the best. I wasn't sure what to expect from this book that was set along the coastal region of the Kimberley - a rugged remote Australian location, with deep gorges and mostly isolated coastline. It didn't take me long to be impacted by this book which went deeper than I expected. Those very first chapters saw the characters become so ingrained within me that I didn't want to close the book at the end. I wanted to continue to follow Sparrow on his journey.
Little Big Reads 