Snowy : the diary of Eva Fischer

My Australian Story #12

by Siobhán McHugh

Eva Fischer has moved to the top of the world - Cabramurra, the highest town in Australia. Eva feels on top of the world, too. Surrounded by people of every nationality, Eva makes new friends, and tries strange foreign food - like pizza.

Eva learns to ski and ride, and even learns that being half German maybe isn't so bad after all.

But all around her, momentous things are happening. The Snowy Mountains Scheme is underway, huge dams have been built, tunnels constructed, homes abandoned, people lost ...

Genres: Historical Fiction, Diary, Childrens

251 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Kirsty Pearce · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book I read in the My Australian Story series, this book will always hold a special place in the memories of my childhood. I loved becoming immersed in the seemingly isolated community that was forged among all those who worked on the Snowy Mountain scheme, and how wonderfully culturally diverse it was, as seen through the innocent and whip-smart eyes of Eva Fischer.

Her struggle to find new friends, and the conflict that arose with her new best friend when she found out Eva's father was German was well-written, relatable, and poignant as can be. The true Aussie spirit shines in every paragraph as Eva is introduced to new sites and tastes, with Italian food such as pasta and pizza foreign to the general Aussie palate until this time. One of my absolute favorite moments though is when Eva's city best friend comes for a visit, and we get to see quite clearly just how much she has changed even in the short time she's lived in the Snowy mountains. Lastly, I adored the inclusion of such touches as The Argonauts radio show and What's in the Box? TV show, which my own parent's remember listening to and watching.

Getting a glimpse into this slice of Australian history, just after WW2 had ended and Australia was in the starting stage of becoming the multicultural melting pot it is today, largely because of projects just like the Snowy Mountain Scheme, this book is a gem, and one I wholeheartedly recommend.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book a long time ago and I don't remember much. I do, however, remember that I really enjoyed it. It really grabbed me and I got really into the book. I also remember that it was quite sad and that I loved the story.

[Ella]

After hearing the author speak on the ABC, I felt like reading it again for the first time since I was a kid. Loved it.

[Sofia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was a quick and easy read and told me alot of things that happened after world war 2.I learnt people of all diferent kinds of nationalties had moved to australia to join a new country and start a new life as immigrants.There were not as much hard words,but the only hard words were the words that other people from a diferent country were speaking.I learnt that that the main character,Eva,was German and in those times after the war,there were people who still hated them,even though the war was over and I learnt that since Austarlia was a new country,the food that are common to Autralian cultue now,example spaghetti,raviloi,pizza,lazangae,were very new and uncommon in those times because of the Italians coming here.The people actully disliked them at first,but they got used to it,and also I learnt that it was really cold in Cabramura that you could get Hypothermia and a blizzard could apear out of nowhere.And that normal radios were very rare or not even there in those times.
What a good read to leart about Australian history.

[Ruby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't stop buying my storys at op shops and reading them in my office instead of working on my thesis it's beginning to impact my work

[Molly]

This entire series is a wonderful way to learn history or teach it to adolescents. I find today's generations seem to recall more when they learn through other people (pop songs, celebrity gossip, etc.), so what better way to teach history than through someone else's perspective? Yes, "authentic" diaries would be "better", but would the language really hold the modern student's attention? Did the diary writer know what WOULD be important in the context of history? Probably not.

[kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Right - I've given this 4 stars because it has been a hot second since I actually read it, however the rating might change if I actually went back to do a wee reread.

This book was fundamental to my understanding of Australian immigration culture (as a second-generation child) as well as my introduction to eating the rich. I'm not saying that's exactly where the book was aiming but that's certainly where it hit for me. The story itself is wonderful, full of the usual shenanigans that kids get up to (and then some unusual ones for good measure) with a charming plot and some truly heartbreaking events that culminate in an all-round good book. I think I probably read it a good few times between the ages of 8 and 11, and that's saying a lot.

Overall, fun story for young gals.

[Samara · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a fan of Australian history, I really appreciated the way the author, Siobhan McHugh, based this fictional story on historical fact. The Snowy River scheme is a fascinating part of our history and the migration that occurred as a result of the scheme has shaped Australian society today. That said and done, I wish this was written as a narrative rather than diary entries. While it read very much like the diary of an eleven year old girl, this naturally meant that a lot of the potential characterisation and setting description was absent and instead felt a bit cold and mechanical.

Definitely one I will be recommending to my students as I think this format would actually make it easier for them to engage with.

[Nicola Travers-Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book as a child and still enjoy re-reading it now!

[Sarah Thornton · Rating 4 out of 5]

The main character was a bit of a beat but that just showcases the talent of the author.

Growing up in regional WA, in a school more like a cult than an educational experience, we didn't learn a lot about Australian history, so ret-conning historical moments of importance to the country has been a revelation.

The war, and the cohabitation of people from all sides settling and shaking down together is intriguing, but I wish there had been more from the engineering point of view.

[Juanita · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting look at a fascinating period of our nation's history, and the people who made it so.