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KIRKUS REVIEWS
October 1 1998
A touching novel about the conflicts that arise in a 'combined' family after a divorce, and a
teen's growing realization and acceptance of her father's imperfections. Tess used to be a swimming champ, but she gave it up, because of reoccurring nightmares and because her
politician father seemed to value her successes more than he values her. Now married to his second wife, Kate, he is putting the same pressure on Tess's half-sister Laura, who competes
on the trampoline. Tess lives with her mother on weekends, and with Kate and Laura the rest of the week; she'd rather spend more time with her mother but is torn between the two households.
Unbeknownst to her family, Tess is involved in a 'green' guerrilla group, staging protests for
animal rights and environmental issues. When the group gets caught by the police, the dysfunction between the two families become more apparent.
The warm characterizations save all the clichés surrounding broken families; this engrossing
Australian tale has a refreshing view of children struggling with the fallout from divorce. Tess's growing awareness of her dad's imperfections and his realizations of his own
shortcomings make the ending not only happy, but believable.
Kliatt, USA
Tess's courage, her stamina, and her father's support in this crisis raise their own relationship
to a new freedom; certainly it brings freedom to Tess as an individual. The rescue of the whale is absolutely riveting reading...
VOYA
October 1998
S. Ashley Burns
He says 'I always put my family first,' but Tess's father never does. As a politician he is
often required to break his promises of spending time with his family...
...the writing style is real and vivid. As the depth of each character is revealed, they
become intriguing to the reader and make one genuinely care about what happens to them. Tess is a likeable girl whom many teens will identify with, whether it is due to her attempts to
juggle her life as a divorced child, cope with the feeling that her father has abandoned her family and will never be proud of her, or because of her sincere desire to make the world a better place.
Many problems remain unresolved at the conclusion of the novel, which contributes to the
reality of the characters' situations. Young adults may need some pushing to notice this recommended book, but once they do they will certainly enjoy it.
BOOKLIST
Nov 1998
Shelle Rosenfeld.
A teenage Australian girl learns the devastating effects of trying to live up to others'
expectations while listening to one's own heart in this astute, engaging novel.
....The story's strengths lies in its realistically depicted family dialogues and tensions, and
explored concepts of social and personal responsibility. Tess herself is a sympathetic character trying to balance the many roles, activities, and family situations in which she is
engaged in order to make the world a better place, both for herself and others.
Maureen McCarthy
(Author: Queen Kat, Carmel and St Jude Get a Life.)
On Different Shores is a warm engaging story that draws the reader in by the force of its central character Tess. I enjoyed it thoroughly.
Tess is the girl we all want to be - smart, warm and feisty. Someone who is not afraid to
say what she thinks or to act on her feelings. At the same time nothing about her is forced or phony.
The writer makes us feel her love for the natural world. And her anger about other people's
careless disregard for its long term future. We feel too her longing for a closer relationship with her ambitious often absent father, and her anger there as well. This book doesn't
preach but sensitively explores its themes of caring for the world and each other through believable characters and interesting real-life situations.
The ending, where they come together to save a stranded whale, is a triumph. We feel the
moment when Tess 'comes through' and it makes us long for, and perhaps remember similar moments in our own lives. A moving story, beautifully told.
FICTION FOCUS
Vol 13 No 2 1999
Gay Tierney (School of Isolated and Distance Education)
Dreamcatcher (the Australian title) is a well-written 'readable story' that touches on topical
issues, including conservation, parenting roles and sibling relationships. A Year 8 student who read this book loved it, especially the episodes about the environmental protests. She also
liked the fact that she didn't know Tess' exact age, so thought the book would appeal to her age group as well as younger and older readers.
Cindy Go
Year 7
I thought Dreamcatcher was a very emotional book at times and yet very funny at such
times. The sad bit was very powerful and almost made me cry, but it does not get too carried away. If people were to read this book, it would be hard to put it down because I
think the excitement goes on in all parts of this book. The book also contains some humour such as the Green Guerrillas formed by Tess. The ending was great.
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