The calling of Jackdaw Hollow by Kate Gordon

What a strange, otherworldly read The calling of Jackdaw Hollow is and how good it is for children to leave their everyday worlds and travel to whimsical, parallel worlds within the pages of a book.  Readers of Tasmanian author Kate Gordon's books, particularly the two companion books: The Heartsong of Wonder Quinn and The Ballad of Melodie Rose would notice recurring themes and motifs. The setting of Direleafe Hall is faintly gothic. There is the massive old boarding house, the ghosts of boarders of the past and the adoption of orphans. There is continuity between the books with lonely orphaned protagonists coming to Direleafe Hall after various tragedies happening to their parents. Each of these characters is full of self doubt and troubled by friendship issues and self worth. Each grows to fullness of character and destination.

Jackdaw Hollow, a lonely orphan, is an odd birdlike boy. Parallels are drawn to the birdworld both in his appearance and his pursuits and interests. Kate Gordon has a great fascination with birds; the various ways birds appear and the meaning that they hold would be a study in itself. The front cover illustration by well known artist and visual communication designer Rachel Tribout, presents a portrait of an unusual looking boy- not unfriendly but quite arrestingly haunted looking. The border surrounding him includes thistles (very symbolic), a wooded landscape and an old house with a turret complete with blackbirds flying against a sky which is struck by jagged lightning. The author must be well-pleased and relieved when an illustrator evokes the atmospherics of their story so effectively.

Jackdaw Hollow is a fully rounded character. The reader feels for him as he overhears conversations that make him feel worthless and as he struggles to find a calling. Kate Gordon is able to present the shy, socially struggling, deep thinking type of character so well and reading about the struggles of Jackdaw Hollow would elicit empathy from many young readers as they struggle with the same kinds of self doubt. Kate Gordon's books deal with friendships, with dreams, with breaking hearts, with finding, knowing and staying true to oneself. There is much wisdom dispensed through the voice of various characters including living the life you have, taking up opportunities when they come up even if they don't all work out and knowing when it is best to let go.

The epilogue is powerful and brings the book and the series to a perfect conclusion which points to life, death and another world beyond our understanding. The characters in The calling of Jackdaw Hollow demonstrate courage, tenderness and love. Jackdaw Hollow, although it takes him a lifetime, discovers what is truly important and also something about the fullness of time and continuity.

The calling of Jackdaw Hollow, as a stand alone book or as companion to The Heartsong of Wonder Quinn and The Ballad of Melodie Rose is a somewhat unusual but very worthwhile read for young people.

Highly recommended.

Themes: Finding life's calling, Friendship, Being true to oneself.

Wendy Jeffrey