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A Dangerous Girl
Merri, John, Leigh and Nick are positioned like the four points of a gameboard. Gentle John is Dungeon Master and a craftsman of wood, but can he master the manipulative and ambitious Leigh? His sister Merri is seduced by the glamour of the stage, but her attention turns to Nick and his email haikus.
- GenresYoung Adult
125 pages, Paperback
First published July 4, 2000
About the author
Catherine Bateson
19 books16 followersCatherine Bateson has won the CBCA Book of the Year for Younger Readers twice and received three Honour Book Awards, including one for Older Readers. She teaches in the Professional Writing and Editing course at TAFE but is also available for school visits, to talk about both fiction writing and poetry.
Where were you born?
I was born in Sydney, but grew up in Brisbane where my mother owned a secondhand bookshop.
What other jobs have you had?
I’ve been an incredibly bad waitress, but otherwise my work has all been within the arts and education sphere.
What themes are recurring in your work?
The theme of family is strong in my work – the families we make ourselves, rather than are born into. I put this down to being an only child – and also my father’s death when I was nine.
What have been the highlights of your career?
Without doubt, the highlights have been winning CBCA awards and the Queensland Premier’s Children’s Book Award. Having my third collection of poetry published in an environment that is financially hostile to poetry is also a highlight.
http://bookedout.com.au/find-a-speake...
Where were you born?
I was born in Sydney, but grew up in Brisbane where my mother owned a secondhand bookshop.
What other jobs have you had?
I’ve been an incredibly bad waitress, but otherwise my work has all been within the arts and education sphere.
What themes are recurring in your work?
The theme of family is strong in my work – the families we make ourselves, rather than are born into. I put this down to being an only child – and also my father’s death when I was nine.
What have been the highlights of your career?
Without doubt, the highlights have been winning CBCA awards and the Queensland Premier’s Children’s Book Award. Having my third collection of poetry published in an environment that is financially hostile to poetry is also a highlight.
http://bookedout.com.au/find-a-speake...
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 30, 2015
I read this in one sitting - a YA verse novel about 'a dangerous girl' who impacts radically on the other characters - Merri - who becomes her best friend and John - who becomes her boyfriend. We are only given a partial insight into what has made Leigh 'dangerous' - but it's something to do with an inappropriate relationship with a teacher at her former school. Whatever the case, Leigh is 'damaged goods' and as readers we know she's in (with the others) for a good time, probably not a long time. The story alternated in voice and also used the game of Dungeons and Dragons as a metaphor for what was happening in the story world. I particularly liked how Leigh was 'the high priestess'.
Other points to like:
- a very sensitive portrayal of a first sexual experience
- the terror one feels at 18 or so of making decisions that seem as if/and may well impact on the rest of your life.
- the exploration of a first-time broken heart - ouch!
Other points to like:
- a very sensitive portrayal of a first sexual experience
- the terror one feels at 18 or so of making decisions that seem as if/and may well impact on the rest of your life.
- the exploration of a first-time broken heart - ouch!
March 18, 2018
very prosaic, but I enjoyed the story.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews