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Feather Star
Lindy finds the beautiful sea creature, the Feather Star, on a remote New South Wales coast during an eventful summer visit.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 1963
13 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Wrightson
49 books24 followersWinner of the Dromkeen Medal (1984).
Patricia Wrightson is one of Australia's most distinguished writers for children. Her books have won many prestigious awards all over the world. She was awarded an OBE (Officer of the British Empire) in 1977, the Dromkeen Medal in 1984 and the Hans Christian Andersen Medal in 1986, all for her services to children's literature. She is a four-time winner of the Australian Children's Book Council Book of the Year Award: in 1956 for The Crooked Snake, in 1974 for The Nargun and the Stars, in 1978 for The Ice Is Coming and in 1984 for A Little Fear. Patricia lives and writes in a beautiful stretch of the Australian bush beside the Clarence River in northern New South Wales.
Patricia Wrightson is one of Australia's most distinguished writers for children. Her books have won many prestigious awards all over the world. She was awarded an OBE (Officer of the British Empire) in 1977, the Dromkeen Medal in 1984 and the Hans Christian Andersen Medal in 1986, all for her services to children's literature. She is a four-time winner of the Australian Children's Book Council Book of the Year Award: in 1956 for The Crooked Snake, in 1974 for The Nargun and the Stars, in 1978 for The Ice Is Coming and in 1984 for A Little Fear. Patricia lives and writes in a beautiful stretch of the Australian bush beside the Clarence River in northern New South Wales.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
July 16, 2024
I knew absolutely nothing of Wrightson going into this. I just happened upon it for cheap, liking the general look of it and trusting the jacket flap that said she was one of Australia's best-known writers.
It seems like a very simple book, telling the story of a summer vacation, but it is so much deeper. I would give it a lot of credit for trying to get at the feelings of teenagers who are just beginning to see their futures. It's not a stunning unqualified success, but it definitely has some great moments. Mostly we are dealing with kids, and the characters have good individuality. The interactions are true to life: sometimes they get along, sometimes they don't. It's also interesting to see how the adults are portrayed - they aren't all the same either, and we get to see how parents do their parenting and how even very different styles can have the same intent at heart.
As with real life (especially in a situation like this vacation with its quickly-made-friends), one doesn't know where the book is going and how it will turn out. But even to the very last pages it holds the reader's interest, and the mood it creates lingers on. I suppose it could be called bittersweet, but maybe even that is too pat a description.
There were a few things mentioned that were entirely foreign to me: ti trees, banksias, pigfaces - all local flora. The last two were repeated and repeated so I had to go look them up. The first one I'm still confused about because it seems there are a lot of different plants that called "ti trees" or "tea trees". Apart from the pigfaces, these don't affect the story, and the author probably just described the world she knew without considering what a non-Australian would think. Good for her. Travel broadens the mind.
I would definitely read more of Wrightson's realistic fiction if given the chance.
Illustrations are just average. I could wish for better, especially in light of the wonderful atmosphere that is created by the text.
It seems like a very simple book, telling the story of a summer vacation, but it is so much deeper. I would give it a lot of credit for trying to get at the feelings of teenagers who are just beginning to see their futures. It's not a stunning unqualified success, but it definitely has some great moments. Mostly we are dealing with kids, and the characters have good individuality. The interactions are true to life: sometimes they get along, sometimes they don't. It's also interesting to see how the adults are portrayed - they aren't all the same either, and we get to see how parents do their parenting and how even very different styles can have the same intent at heart.
As with real life (especially in a situation like this vacation with its quickly-made-friends), one doesn't know where the book is going and how it will turn out. But even to the very last pages it holds the reader's interest, and the mood it creates lingers on. I suppose it could be called bittersweet, but maybe even that is too pat a description.
There were a few things mentioned that were entirely foreign to me: ti trees, banksias, pigfaces - all local flora. The last two were repeated and repeated so I had to go look them up. The first one I'm still confused about because it seems there are a lot of different plants that called "ti trees" or "tea trees". Apart from the pigfaces, these don't affect the story, and the author probably just described the world she knew without considering what a non-Australian would think. Good for her. Travel broadens the mind.
I would definitely read more of Wrightson's realistic fiction if given the chance.
Illustrations are just average. I could wish for better, especially in light of the wonderful atmosphere that is created by the text.
Displaying 1 of 1 review