The incredible adventures of Cinnamon Girl by Melissa Keil

Hardie Grant Egmont, 2014. ISBN 9781742978307
(Age: Yr 10-11) Themes: Art, relationships, End of High School, death of a parent, family separation, end of the world. A feel good novel about the coming of age and the rights of passage that comes with the finishing of high school. Sarah Jane, the voice for the novel, has just completed year 12 along with her tight knit group of friends. Sarah Jane is an outstanding artist whose particular skill is drawing cartoons. Over many years she has been collecting her drawings with the goal of attending an arts college after school. Her father was also a comic collector, who has died in a tragic accident, and has left behind a treasure trove of magazines. The novel traces the adventures of Eden Valley, a small country NSW town, as it becomes in undated with weird and wonderful people who have heard that the end of the world is going to occur on New Years Eve and the only place that will survive is Eden Valley.
Sarah Jane's friend from primary school (Daniel) comes back to town which causes some angst amongst her friends, in particular Grady who has been her best friend since she was a toddler. Daniel is now a big TV star who is a bit full of himself but underneath just wants some of the simple life that Eden Valley has to offer.
A great novel that weaves the lives of many of the town's people with a mix of humour, seriousness and history.
Wendy Rutten