About This Book
Reach for this book when your teenager is feeling the friction of independence or struggling with the consequences of social isolation. It is a deeply atmospheric choice for the child who is drawn to the eerie and the ancient, or for those navigating the transition from childhood obedience to adult responsibility. The story follows fourteen-year-old Jo, who ignores the warnings of her Aboriginal elder, Granny, and ventures into the Australian hills. There she encounters Balyet, a ghost girl trapped for a thousand years by a mistake made in her own youth. Through this haunting encounter, the novel explores the weight of grief, the danger of selfish impulses, and the profound importance of respecting cultural wisdom and ancestral lands. It is a sophisticated read for ages 12 and up that uses supernatural elements to ground very real questions about maturity and the ripples our choices leave behind. You might choose it to help your teen reflect on their own boundaries and the hidden history of the places they inhabit.
