Tuesday 2 April 2024

Book Review: Those Girls by Pamela Rushby

Those Girls

by

Pamela Rushby

Publisher: Walker Books
Publication date: 3rd April 2024
Genre: Young Adult / Historical Fiction
Pages: 336
RRP: $19.99AU (paperback)
Source: Courtesy of publisher
 

Review: Those Girls

In Those Girls, Pamela Rushby writes about a little known area of women's involvement in the second world war.
As men leave the country to join the fighting a void is left in the area of food production. This is where the Australian Women's Land Army (AWLA) was formed and many young women left their homes to make their contribution to the war effort, working on farms picking and packing fruit, digging potatoes and milking cows. The back breaking and relentless work was vividly described as the girls work hard and support each other making firm friendships along the way.

Those Girls is an easy, engaging read. Descriptions of the farms and working conditions are well portrayed as the girls endure harsh summers and bitterly cold winters. Rushby gives a wonderful insight into the lives of these girls (mainly aged 14 -18 years). Even with working long hours the girls find some time to socialise and have some fun, go dancing, meet American soldiers and even fall in love.

Snippets into the girls' lives before the Land Army work and the lives of their families at home waiting on news of their missing sons is well researched and written to target the young adult audience of 14+ years.
 
My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Publisher recommended age 14+ years
Alludes to consensual sex
unplanned pregnancy
unwanted advances
 

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