Herschelle is sure he’s prepared for his new life in
Australia. After all, he studied Aussie slang on the internet before he left
South Africa, so he knows he’ll be able to communicate.
Unfortunately, things don’t go as well as Herschelle would
like. No-one understands his Aussie chat or his South African accent. He isn’t
used to being laughed at for being different or being the victim of bullying
and he certainly isn’t used to being the victim of racism. Herschelle thought
they had left issues like that behind in South Africa. Will anyone take the
time to get to know Herschelle well enough to become friends?
New Boy offers an interesting and thoughtful twist on the
familiar themes of new kid in school and clash of cultures. To outward
appearances, Herschelle is just like the kids at his new Australian school, but
his name, accent, vocabulary and experiences make it difficult for him to find
his place in his new environment.
Author Nick Earls shares Herschelle’s story with a large
helping of humour and the reassuring familiarity of family life and school routines, however he also delivers some thought-provoking ideas on fitting
in and accepting others. Earls doesn’t shy away from using words like ‘bullying’
and ‘racism’ to ensure that young readers understand that the challenges faced
by Herschelle are serious, despite the often light-hearted tone of the novel.
This older junior fiction novel delivers an engaging,
interesting story that should get readers thinking about the topics of
diversity, racism and bullying. I particularly appreciated the way the racial
history of South Africa was introduced through the story and think that the
fact that Herscehelle wasn’t visibly different but could still be the victim of
racism was an interesting point to raise. New Boy is perfect
for starting classroom conversations on these topics or simply to broaden the
cultural awareness of junior and middle fiction readers.
Title: New Boy
Author: Nick Earls
Publisher: Puffin, $14.99 RRP
Publication Date: 25 March 2015
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9780143308393
For ages: 8 - 12
Type: Junior Fiction
