Mahalia

by Joanne Horniman

MATT LOVED EVERYTHING about Emmy. He loved her freckled, luminous, magical body. He loved her free spirit. He loved the future he saw when he found out Emmy was pregnant. And he loved her answer when her parents protested their decision to keep the “We’ll just love it, okay?”

Full of emotion and insight, Mahalia is the story of one teenage boy’s struggle to be a better father than he knows how.

“A poignant and memorable love story of a young father and his daughter.”— School Library Journal

“A starkly candid and sensitive portrait of teenage parenthood.”— The Horn Book Magazine

A Children’s Peace Literature Prize Recommended Book

Children’s Book Council of Australia Awards’ Shortlist

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Australia, Book Club, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction

192 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2001

About the author

Joanne Horniman grew up in a country town in northern NSW. She read books, rode her bicycle around the countryside, and had a glove puppet theatre company with her best friend. They 'toured' their show to all the classes in the school. On leaving school, Joanne went to Sydney, completed an arts degree and worked as an editor after a stint washing dishes in a pub. Since then she has worked as a teacher at TAFE and university, and she now lives with her family on a small acreage in the bush, where she plants rainforest trees and looks after a trio of chooks and a duo of ducks.

When did you start writing?
'When I was about six, I think. I had a collection of notebooks I wrote in. I gave up for a while in primary school, because I didn't like the topics the teachers set, but in high school I wrote short stories at home and sent them away to magazines.'

If you weren't a writer, what would you be?
'Very bored. Nothing else interests me. Except, perhaps, being a puppeteer, or Dr Who.'

Reviews

[Lindi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another in the teen dad genre. Better than Angela Johnson's The First Part Last, but not as compelling as Hanging on to Max, by Margaret Bechard. Set in Australia, and that's interesting. I did love the main character and his determination to care for to his daughter.

[Finley · Rating 1 out of 5]

The book Mahalia is a poorly written book, with little story line. The story revolves around a young man named Matt and his baby Mahalia and the distant memory of their dead beat/not in the picture mother. I would recommend this book if you were a light reader or wasn’t into novels with a dunce story line and plot. These books left me screaming someone call the child services. I give this book 1 out of 5 stars on the fact that the author little to no explanations of characters and their thoughts and feelings.

[Urszula · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have found this book very simple and slow going with little action. But I liked the fact that it was a 17 year old boy who became Mother and Father to Mahalia, and as such he loved being with and looking after his dougher. It was inspiring how he didn't want to fail as a father and how much pride he took in looking after Mahalia. The rest of the characters were likable and interesting. I would recommend this book to all teenagers to learn that all actions have their consequences.

[Amanda Summers · Rating 2 out of 5]

It wasn't bad, I liked the main character and how much he adored his daughter. I liked how imperfect he was as a father and how honestly raw it could be at times. I liked the vividness of the setting.
What I wasn't a fan of was the writing. It seemed amateurish. I suppose that could be because it was written from a teenage boys point of view but I didn't find that aspect appealing. I wouldn't read it again but I'm glad I read it the first time.

[Alba · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG this is one of the best books i have ever read. A 17 year old teenager becomes a Father and Mother to his daughter Mahalia. i love that this book is about a guy who became a man when he decided to take care of his baby...OHH it was such a cute book,

[Kat · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't like this book.

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought that this book was great. i enjoyed it all, and its simplicity appeals to me. Loved it

[Katelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

beautifully written. Takes a while to get used to the slightly fragmented style

[Tori · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing much really happened. Was tempted to give up part way through, but figured something must happen soon.

[Hayley Forrest · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy reading, enjoyable, with pleasant characters.

[Mahalia Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very sweet

[Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A teenage must read. A comfort read.

[Mya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soooo sweet. Such a beautiful little slice of life.

[Dany · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5
https://lamenteaffilata.blogspot.com/...

[Margherita Dolcevita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sul retro del libro c'è scritto "Dai 13 anni in su", questo lo configura come libro per ragazzi.
Io ora non è che sono esperta di adolescenti, ma secondo me nessun quindicenne leggerebbe un libro del genere.
E' il tipico romanzo per ragazzi che però può piacere solo agli adulti. Non so se sia un difetto o un grosso problema, ma io di quindicenni che vorrebbero leggere la storia di un loro coetaneo (giù di lì) ragazzo padre senza soldi non ne conosco.
Il libro a me è piaciuto. E' molto semplice, da ogni punto di vista: la prosa è lineare, il lessico quasi elementare (la parola più difficile penso sia "paradigma"), la storia va da sé che non è complessa. Però è un libro dolce, tenero, naif, strizza l'occhio alla moda attuale degli adolescenti genitori ("Juno", il romanzo di Hornby "Tutto per una ragazza"), anche se è stato scritto nel 2001, e appaga. Ecco, è esattamente ciò che sembra e questo in qualche modo soddisfa. Non si hanno sorprese, né belle né brutte, scorre via liscio che è una bellezza, per una volta una lettura tranquilla ci sta (anche per più di una volta, a dire il vero!).

[Ramisa R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mahalia handles a lesser-explored aspect of teen pregnancy; fatherhood. I fell in love with Matt's caring, gentle nature, Mahalia's innocence and oblivion of the world around her, and the people around Matt who helped him heal.

Although I spent most of the story feeling sorry for Matt, I still understood Emmy's rather selfish departure and their separate ways. A bittersweet story, but with a happy (although completely different from the beginning) ending to leave you satisfied.

Also, I wrote this story inspired by this book (If you wanted to take a look):
http://ramisatheauthoress.wordpress.c...

[Pip Tlaskal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed a boy's perspective on parenthood in this novel. Like in a baby's day.. nothing and everything seems to happen and it is so valuable for teens to see that a boy could do all the laborious everyday work with a child. Her writing is beautiful and limpid, you just want to keep on reading and sharing her gentle, delicate view of the world where everyone, even a little motherless baby has a place.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet story about a young father and his baby girl. Mahalia was absolutely gorgeous and made me smile throughout the book. I also liked Matt and sympathised with him as he tired so hard to be a good dad and do something with his life. However, as a story this book was slow and I don't think it would appeal to many teens,

[Meghan Douglas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, manageable, simple, and beautiful. Admirable protagonist navigates the crushing reality of being a single teenaged dad while mourning the loss of his relationship. Doesn't romanticise teen pregnancy at all, but doesn't demonise it either.

[Courtney Chappell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked how this book was written. I could picture it in my head the entire time. I was sad when Emmy came back and claimed that she wanted Mahalia back. However, I was so happy how the book ended, with a compromise.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The struggles the 17 year old faces as a new parent are struggles we all can feel at times. It is a realistic view on why you can let others help you and no one has to raise a baby alone. Let those who offer help, help you.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book had great descriptive images, but it tended to be repetitive.

[Tetty · Rating 3 out of 5]

..it must be difficcult for young couple to raise a child..but u can't just give it up..there's always way out..

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this!

[Nan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book brought me to tears. I liked the fact that this was a guy instead of a girl. I swear the baby was the most adorable thing alive and Matt. What an awesome dad.

[Tyla · Rating 2 out of 5]

not a fave.

[Irisvdd · Rating 5 out of 5]

read it for the billion-ist time,
still love it,
it's just soooooo freaking adorable and cute and beautiful
I just love it.
x

[Ren · Rating 4 out of 5]

**4.5 STARS

This was really really good. It was a tad hard to get into at first but overall I thought it was excellent.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book, and admittedly I'm rating it based on my opinion from reading it back in high school, but I'd love to read it again.