Climb a Lonely Hill

by Lilith Norman

Chronicles a brother's and sister's efforts to survive when an auto accident strands them in the Australian Bush.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction

160 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1970

Reviews

[elektrospiro · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bardzo prosta fabułka dla młodzieży, nadająca się - zgodnie z zamiarem wydawcy - na lekturę dla uczących się języka angielskiego na niskim poziomie jego znajomości.
Rzecz dzieje się w Australii. Brat i siostra z rodziny alkoholika zostają zabrani przez wujka na pierwsze w życiu wakacje. Zamierzają pojechać w głąb pustyni, gdzie wydobywa się złoto. W wyniku wypadku pozostawieni sami sobie, muszą przetrwać, dorosnąć, nauczyć się odpowiedzialności za siebie wzajem i zrozumieć, że należy spróbować zrozumieć uczucia innych. Jakby wcześniej nie mieli kontaktu ze sobą, z ludźmi. Mądrość wyskakuje na nich jak deus ex machina. Trochę to zbyt dydaktyczne.

[Jacquie South · Rating 3 out of 5]

I remeber being absoluely devestated by this book as a kid. How many kids books start off with two kids leaving their dead uncle in the smahed ute, and heading off to survive in the desert?

[Fiona · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this story powerful as a child and even more so as an adult. When I was young, it was the suspense - wondering how they could possibly survive - and the fear that they wouldn’t make it that held me enthralled. This time around, the tension of the unknown still held me. Even though I knew the outcome, I couldn’t remember how it was achieved, so much so that at times I thought that it couldn’t possibly work out that way and that my memory must have led me astray! I also found this book even more impactful this time around, I think because I had a much better understanding of the depth of Jack and Sue’s predicament, of all that could go wrong. I also better appreciated her portrayal of their drunken father, his many ‘companions’ and the impact of this situation on these two young lives. Lilith Norman is a wonderful Australian author and her books are well worth revisiting if you read them as a child. Or, if you now have primary aged children of your own, of introducing to a new generation of readers.

[Kim Woodland · Rating 5 out of 5]

My primary school librarian read this to our class 30-plus years ago, and elements of the book have lingered in my mind to this day. For years, I couldn't remember the title of the book. I searched for it a number of times, based on my memories of two children and their uncle being in a vehicle accident in the outback which the uncle didn't survive. I also remembered lots of walking, and finding a waterhole, and fear in discovering that their only pack of matches had been accidentally soaked after diving in. Putting these rather random phrases into search engines eventually led me to Goodreads reviews where I was excited to find the book! I borrowed it from a library as it is now sadly out of print. It was even better than I remembered - every word in the book matters and the author gives her young readers credit by telling a harrowing yet hopeful tale of adventure and survival with layers of meaning.

[Carly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first (long length) book I remember reading as a kid, I must have been about 9. It always stuck with me, especially the opening visual about 'party ice'.
I've just read it again as an adult, and it is still excellent, but from an adult point of view it surprised me. The vocabulary, heavy themes, and even length, are challenging for a book classified as "children's", the author shows a lot of respect for her young readers.
A quick enjoyable read for an adult, a interesting and thought provoking book for a young teen or late primary aged kid. (The kids in the book are aged 14 and 12).

[Bathsheba · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this when I was about 10 years old and it had quite an impact on me. I look forward to sharing it with my own children. Prior to this book I had read the entire Enid Blyton collection... so it was quite a transition reading about two kids being stranded in a remote part of Australia and having to fight for their survival.

[NicoleHasRead · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this as a child and it was so affecting. I've been trying to remember the title for years.