Red by Libby Gleeson

Red

By Libby Gleeson

Synopsis (from the publisher): Mud. In her mouth, her nose and her eyes. Mud in her hair and caked on her neck and her arms. Mud filling her shoes and seeping through the thin cotton weave of her trousers. She lay sprawled on her side, a garbled, barely distinct sound coming from her: jaymartinjaymartin. Her world was mud and pain.
'What's your name?' A boy was sitting on a kitchen table floating in a muddy pool. At his feet was a child's doll, the head lolling to one side.
'jaymartinjaymartin' she repeated mechanically.
He stepped forward and slapped her hard across the face. 'Shut up that stupid talk.'
Red can't remember the cyclone. She can't remember anything - her name, where she lived, who her family might be. Her identity has been ripped away. Then she makes a discovery, and finds she has an important mission to accomplish. But in this chaotic, bewildering world, can she do it on her own? Who can she trust? Wonderfully written!

I liked this book because it was unexpectedly fascinating, well thought out and wonderfully unfolded in it's telling. Gleeson does not disappoint in the junior fiction section. I interviewed Gleeson about her writing to go with an article for the book:

Q: What was your favourite picture book growing up?

A: There were no picture books back then_ just Little Golden Books and some illustrated stories.  The Taxi That Hurried was a favourite .

Q: What was your favourite novel that you read when you were teenager?

A: The Girl of the Limberlost – a  gothic American novel from the early 20^th century. It’s about a girl in conflict with her mother over her attempts to get an education. It’s also a novel of conservation.

Q: Where do you find ideas for your books?

A: Everywhere – my life, my family’s life and also social and political history.

Q: Who or what helped you to write the way you do?

A: I joined a writer’ group when I lived in London and that group helped shape my first novel. They taught me to focus on language and structure as well as the obvious plot and character.

Q: Your latest book is about a teenage girl called, ‘Red’, who finds she’s lost her memory after Sydney was hit by a natural disaster. What gave you the idea to write a book with this opening?

A: My fear of the consequences of Global Warming and the possibility of extreme weather events.

Q: If you could encourage young readers and budding writers out there to do anything, what would you say to them?

A: Read, read read and write, write and write some more.

Find out more about Libby on her website: http://www.libbygleeson.com.au/