Allie McGregor’s True Colours by Sue Lawson
Black Dog Books are a relatively new publisher in the Australian children’s market. And yet everything that I have read from their list has been well worth the time reading it. Allie McGregor is no exception.
Allie is a typical adolescent girl. In her eyes, life is a disaster with no rescue in sight. She suddenly has to share a room with her little sister (and the family of mice she keeps as pets). Her father is a breakfast radio announcer who is getting great mileage out of jokes about “The Hormonal One” in the family. Her best friends at school won’t speak to each other, and each of them are insisting that Allie show her loyalty by snubbing the other friend. Her brother is, like brothers everywhere, absolutely revolting. So far this sounds like a typical chick lit novel.
But what sets this book apart is the fact that Allie’s Mum has cancer….
That little detail sets this book apart from many others. Allie herself is a much more complex character. Are her tantrums just an indirect way of screaming at the world at the injustice of her mother’s illness. At times Allie needs to shoulder responsibilities that her friends know nothing about, simply because her mother cannot be ‘normal’ all the time.
This book is very positive with a warm, life affirming ending that is intended to bring tears to your eyes. Tears of joy or pride rather than sadness I hasten to add. This book is well worth the time required in reading it.
