The tram to Bondi Beach by Libby Hathorn. Illus. by Julie Vivas

Sydney in the 1930s and Kieran is fascinated by the trams as they rattle past his house and down the hill to Bondi Beach. But even more so, he loves to watch Saxon the paperboy swing his way along the running board, deftly selling papers and giving change as he goes. He is determined that he too will be a paperboy and finally, when he is 9, Mr Francis gives him a job. The only trouble is, when the newsagent hires him, Saxon tells the younger Keiran this tramstop is his territory.

Keiran is determined and tries to copy Saxon's technique on the trams. It all ends in a fall and his dad's fury and the threat of losing his first job. Are Keiran's dreams shattered before they have really formed?

This is a classic story from one of Australia's most established children's authors that has lasted the test of time as it takes the reader back to an era barely recognisable in today's hustle and bustle. The lives of Keiran and Isabelle are quite different from that of today's 9 year-old - could having a job as well as school be a normal thing today? The signature style of Julie Vivas's illustrations add a richness that demand a compare and contrast that will show that while there are many outward differences as time has moved on, not just between 1931 and now but also 1981 when it was first published and now. that inner strength of family remains unchanged.

It also highlights the current controversy of the delivery of news, including the situation with Facebook withdrawing access to news sites, setting up an investigation into how people have got their news over time, its integrity and its relevance, making it a book that could be used at any level across the school.

Barbara Braxton