AustLit

'A gripping story of one Australian boy's experience of devastating drought.

'A few kookaburras laugh in the gum trees. Alex grins – they don't often come up this far. His grandpa told him that if kookaburras laugh late in the afternoon, it will rain next day. 'Ha, someone needs to tell the rain to listen, hey Tangi?' She grins at him like it's a good joke. Alex wishes it was just a joke.

'Thirteen-year-old Alex lives on a drought-affected property in South Australia with his mum, his dad, his kelpie dog Tangi and colt, Jago. When he meets his new next-door neighbour, Bonnie, he is grateful to make a new friend and fascinated by the camels her family has brought to the farm..

'For years it hasn't rained enough for them to put a crop in. And while all the farmers in the area are suffering, Alex's dad is struggling more than most. It's nearly winter and the paddocks are still brown. But when Bonnie comes over to visit and cook with him, Alex feels lighter inside. And his mum loosens up a bit as well. 

'As the drought stretches on, Alex must help his mum with the farm work, and draw wisdom and strength from his support networks so he can find a way into a brighter future.

'This inspiring Australian Disaster Zones series is a powerful and contemporary reminder of the effects of natural disasters and the ever-increasing threat of climate change to our vast and volatile continent. ' (Publication summary)