Another award winner! Jellicoe Road, by Melina Marchetta, won the 2008 Printz award. I have to say, this is now my favourite book of the year; the award is completely justified!
Jellicoe Road is a complex tale about family, love, loss and redemption. It winds between two generations, and manages to juggle a family mystery, a school adventure, and a couple of sweet loves stories all at once, without ever missing a beat.
Seventeen year old Taylor Markham has lived at the Jellicoe Road boarding school since she was abandoned by her mother at eleven. The school is her home, and house supervisor Hannah is the closest thing she has to a parent. So when Hannah leaves suddenly, without any explanation or notice, Taylor is pulled headlong into her old issues of abandonment and loss.
To make things worse, Taylor is now a house leader herself. This means that she's responsible for running the yearly "war" between the School, the Townies, and the Cadets. Each group claims a bit of the surrounding forest as territory, and for a few short months of the year, they all fight to claim territory according to a mysterious old book of rules. Taylor's determined to ignore the feelings between her and her arch enemy, Jonah Griggs; she's heartbroken about Hannah's unexplained absence; and now, she's starting to suspect that there's a secret that Hannah has been keeping from her. How does Hannah know Taylor's mother? Who was Taylor's father, and why does the mysterious Brigadier shadow her and Hannah? Taylor is determined to figure out what's going on, but every clue she uncovers brings her closer to a truth that will either liberate her, or destroy her.
An amazing read that will leave you astounded by the human capacity for forgiveness. The characters are at once fragile and full of strength, flawed yet capable of redemption. The very best kind of book, and recommended for all readers.
Fiction
Grades 11 and up (yes, adults too!)
Click here to check out the Port Moody Public Library's catalogue.
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