Amidst the chaos, she finds a letter addressed to her from Naoko, who is now in Adelaide working with her mother at a Reverend’s house. Her dad is in an internment camp and they are unable to visit him.
People are being moved to a place of safety after the bombing. Half-castes are separated from whites and Pearlie manages to travel till Adelaide with Hazel on a goods train.
But separation comes again and this time the courageous Pearlie makes her way to where Naoko is and accepts the Reverend’s hospitality. With her parents far away, Pearlie is happy to be away from danger and with her friend, until her family can be traced.
But a new dilemma arises. There is a ghost in the Reverend’s house and Naoko is terrified of the sounds she hears at night. Pearlie is now fearless due to all she has experienced. She decides to solve the mystery of the ghostly noises.
This exciting conclusion to another excellent book in the Our Australian Girl series, with its moving conclusion brought tears to my eyes when the ghost mystery was revealed. The background story to Pearlie’s Ghost reflects the many recollections of those that experienced war and its carnage.
Our Australian Girl is one of my favourite series. Through its multiple four book sets, each set with a different author and protagonist, the rich history of our country – the sad and the happy parts – is shared in a simple style. This enables young readers to grasp the historical facts while enjoying what comes across as a great adventure.
Title: Pearlie’s Ghost (Our Australian Girl: Pearlie #4)
Author: Gabrielle Wang
Illustrator: Lucia Masciullo
Publisher: Penguin, $14.99 RRP
Publication Date: September 2014
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9780143307983
For ages: 8+
Type: Junior Fiction
