Review:
The rage of sheep by Michelle Cooper
Random
House, 2007 $17.95
(Age 13-16) 15 year old Hester is not having a good time. Her best
friend has moved to another town, the religion obsessed class nerd
(Joshua) keeps talking to her, her father, the bank manager is to
present the maths medals, and she is one of the recipients and she is
struck by the casualness of the racist remarks of her so called
friends, when they talk about wogs, but then hasten to add that they
are not talking about her. So all in all, she's not enjoying herself,
but then when the science teacher pairs her with Joshua, she is
appalled.
Michelle Cooper
has written a very witty story about growing up and coping with all
that life throws at you,
The rage of
sheep, concerns itself with the change of attitudes coming to
the fore in the 1980's. Being an outsider, not only because of how you
look, but your sexuality or your religion is explored in this school
based story. Two gay teachers have had enough of the parochial
attitudes of some of the staff, rumours spread like wildfire, each
version adding more to the tale, and Hester must learn not to follow
the sheep. Girls particularly in lower secondary school will enjoy the
ride.
Fran Knight
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