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AbstractHistoryArchive Description
'Fourteen year old Marina does not speak, and has not done so for some time. As the story starts, we do not know the reasons why, or for how long. Only that on her release from hospital she was sent to Warrington Boarding School. Soon after term begins, her English teacher gives her class the task of keeping a journal. It is through Marina's entries in this journal, that we learn some of her history. During a fight between her parents, she was accidentally scarred by some acid thrown by her father but intended for her mother. It was this event that brought on her mutism and withdrawal into herself. Gradually, Marina starts to open up, both in her journal entries and in her interactions with others, slowly, slowly, slowly recovering from her traumas, and cultivating the beginnings of new friendships.' (Source: Bookshelf)
Adaptations
- y So Much to Tell You : The Play : A Performance Version Montville : Walter McVitty Books , 1994 Z229493 1994 single work drama young adult
Notes
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Parallel story to Take My Word for It: Lisa's Journal.
Affiliation Notes
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This work is affiliated with the AustLit subset Asian-Australian Children's Literature and Publishing because it has Japanese and Korean translations.
Writing Disability in Australia:
Type of disability Selective mutism. Type of character Primary. Point of view First person.
Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of
Other Formats
- Braille.
- Sound recording.
Works about this Work
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John Marsden's Comments About Bullying Are Downright Dangerous - Young Adult Fiction Writers Should Know Better
2019
single work
column
— Appears in: ABC News [Online] , July 2019; Young adult fiction author, Clair Zorn, comments on an interview with John Marsden about his publication The Art of Growing Up, the impact of bullying on teenagers and the responsibility of authors to their readers. -
Faces and Fears : The Search for Identity in So Much to Tell You
2011
single work
criticism
— Appears in: John Marsden : Darkness, Shadow, and Light 2011; (p. 15-28) -
A Response to 'So Much to Tell You' by John Marsden
2000
single work
prose
— Appears in: Viewpoint : On Books for Young Adults , Summer vol. 8 no. 4 2000; (p. 39) -
Elective Mutes in Four Contemporary Books for Children
1999
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Something to Crow About : New Perspectives in Literature for Young People 1999; (p. 171-178) This work examines which literary techniques an author uses in their works for children to establish character traits when their main character is an elective mute. -
John Marsden : 'Fighting On'
1997
single work
criticism
— Appears in: The Adolescent Novel : Australian Perspectives 1997; (p. 173-182)
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[Review] So Much to Tell You
1988
single work
review
— Appears in: Magpies : Talking About Books for Children , March vol. 3 no. 1 1988; (p. 30)
— Review of So Much to Tell You 1987 single work novel -
Teenagers : Irish Stew and Light Desserts
1988
single work
review
— Appears in: The Age , 11 June, 1988; (p. 11)
— Review of The Blooding 1987 single work novel ; So Much to Tell You 1987 single work novel -
First-Time Storyteller Makes the Big Time
1988
single work
review
— Appears in: The Age , 20 August 1988;
— Review of So Much to Tell You 1987 single work novel ; Crusher is Coming! 1987 single work picture book ; My Place : The Story of Australia from Now to Then 1987 single work picture book ; Deezle Boy 1987 single work novel ; The Long Red Scarf 1987 single work picture book ; Where the Forest Meets the Sea 1987 single work picture book -
Nude Boy in Cover-Up
1988
single work
review
— Appears in: The Weekend Australian , 2-3 April 1988;
— Review of Where the Forest Meets the Sea 1987 single work picture book ; So Much to Tell You 1987 single work novel ; Pheasant and Kingfisher 1987 single work picture book ; The Long Red Scarf 1987 single work picture book ; The Landing : A Night of Birds 1987 single work children's fiction ; Deezle Boy 1987 single work novel ; My Place : The Story of Australia from Now to Then 1987 single work picture book ; Digging to China 1988 single work picture book ; Obernewtyn 1987 single work novel ; A Paddock of Poems 1987 selected work poetry ; Looking Out For Sampson 1987 single work children's fiction ; The Makers 1987 single work novel ; Birk, the Berserker 1987 single work children's fiction ; Tucking Mummy In 1987 single work picture book -
Exploring Problems of Youth
1988
single work
review
— Appears in: The Canberra Times , 20 August 1988;
— Review of So Much to Tell You 1987 single work novel ; Deezle Boy 1987 single work novel -
Know the Author : John Marsden
1989
single work
column
— Appears in: Magpies : Talking About Books for Children , May vol. 4 no. 2 1989; (p. 20-22) -
Elective Mutes in Four Contemporary Books for Children
1999
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Something to Crow About : New Perspectives in Literature for Young People 1999; (p. 171-178) This work examines which literary techniques an author uses in their works for children to establish character traits when their main character is an elective mute. -
Young Adult Fiction Rules - O.K? So Where's the Young Adult Poetry?
1990
single work
column
— Appears in: Magpies : Talking About Books for Children , September vol. 5 no. 4 1990; (p. 5-9) -
Novel Teachers : The Image of Teachers in Australian Children's Literature
1994
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Magpies : Talking About Books for Children , September vol. 9 no. 4 1994; (p. 5-8) -
Publishing for Children in Australia: A Thriving Industry
1990
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Children's Literature Association Quarterly , vol. 15 no. 4 1990; (p. 167-171) McVitty describes 'aspects of the children's book scene in Australia' which includes literature and publishing - especially for children - in Australia' (167). He briefly discusses bookshops, general and professional interest, awards, the Children's Book Council of Australia, school magazines, book clubs, Bologna and overseas markets, and publishing. He includes the shortlists for the 1990 Children's Book of the Year Awards (Older Readers, Younger Readers and Picture Books) and directly refers to John Marsden's So Much to Tell You and Possum Magic (Mem Fox) as examples of successful Australian works for children. He believes that while it is still relatively small, Australian children's literature is a healthy, thriving industry with continuing opportunities to expand within national and international consumer markets.
Awards
- 2004 YABBA — Hall of Fame
- 1995 joint winner COOL Award — Fiction for Older Readers
- 1989 winner KOALA Awards — Secondary
- 1988 winner CBCA Book of the Year Awards — Book of the Year: Older Readers
- 1988 winner Victorian Premier's Literary Awards — Alan Marshall Award for Children's Literature
Last amended 17 Jun 2021 16:04:45
Settings:
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cAustralia,c
- ca. 1985
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