Saltwater boy by Bradley Christmas

Matthew is nearly 13- years-old, is connected to the environment, and a good friend to Ash, the girl from school who helps him avoid attention from the school bully. At home there are struggles. His Mum is trying hard to protect her son from the consequences of having a father in jail, and to make his life more than a struggle … but homelessness beckons. When the chance to relocate to an old family shack on the coast occurs, Matt is split from Ash and thrust into a lonely place that is far removed from his former life. A friendship with Old Bill connects him to the environment in ways he had never dreamed and opens his eyes to traditional ideas of sustainability, while also giving him a chance to grow from childhood to maturity. But he also sees pain in the old man’s relationships in the small community. When Matt’s Dad re-enters his life and his new existence, his own pains are enflamed and the way forward seems like a battlefield. Will Bill’s wisdom be able to be shared or has Matt’s Dad thrown a grenade into what was once a place of peace and growth for Matt?

This is a story that shines in many ways, but it is not without shadows. There are thorny moments in this book, but it is also a book of hope and redemption. However, this is not a trite story, and the toxic masculinity and poor choices that are displayed are confronting. Matthew does eventually demonstrate bravery and maturity that is able to show his father what being a man means. There are other wonderful aspects to the story – the gentle Aboriginal connection to land and place; the mother who sacrifices much and believes and hopes for her family’s future; the friendships that enable truths to be shared; and the ebb and flow and the power of the ocean, and the life and freedom of land and sea birds, all set within a small Australian community with quirks and at times its own struggles. This book was compared by the publisher to Jasper Jones and Storm Boy for its multiple arcs and potential resonance with readers. It has a gentleness, even amidst hostility, and a redemptive and forgiving tone that takes it away from the horrors of family violence and dysfunction. A first kiss even sneaks its way into the coming-of-age story. (My teaching background does make me ponder about the absence of schooling demands for Matt after his move to the coast… but young readers probably will not notice. They will assume a potential perpetual holiday existence!)

Themes: Coming of age, Abuse, Toxic masculinity, Racism, Forgiveness, family, friendship.

Carolyn Hull