What Zola did on Thursday by Melina Marchetta

When Zola is rude to her neighbour, Mr Walton, her mother is unhappy with her and Zola comes to realise that perhaps what she did is not the best way to approach the reclusive man next door.

An opportunity comes around for her mother to get the two together when the school runs a music competition in which students are invited to play a musical instrument alone or in groups. Zola interest is intensified and she practices her trombone, despite Mr Walton calling over the fence about being in tune. She seeks out her friends to join her and together they find a place to rehearse. But all they need is to decide together what tune to play and then of course, find a leader.

This series of books, set one on each day of the weeks and showing Zola's activities on each day, is a joy. She is a singleminded young girl, intense and forthright, but sometimes oversteps the mark, being pushy and bossy. The stories show her needing to calibrate her behaviour in response to her friends' needs, as well as those of her mother and nonna, who lives with them.

The family background is warm and encouraging, the friends and school easily recognised by all readers, offering a glimpse into a life that parallels their own, but has a few truths to contend with as Zola must learn to keep out of trouble. Readers will sympathise with Zola's behaviour as she sometimes does not stop to think things through, but a solution always occurs which rounds everything off beautifully.

Hudson's black and white drawings reveal a street with similar houses, backyard gardens, and produce sold a the Farmers' Market on the weekend. Readers will enjoy the humour in the drawings as Zola and her friends try to achieve their dream of being in a band.

I have read all the books, beginning with Monday and love them all for their quiet intensity of a child growing up, learning her place in the world.

Themes: Love, Friendship, Neighbours, Music.

Fran Knight