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The Year the Maps Changed Lib/E
Wolf Hollow meets The Thing About Jellyfish in Danielle Binks's debut middle grade novel set in 1999, where a twelve-year-old girl grapples with the meaning of home and family amidst a refugee crisis that has divided her town.
Timeless and beautiful, and it deserves to be read by people of all ages. --Printz Award-winning author Melina Marchetta
If you asked eleven-year-old Fred to draw a map of her family, it would be a bit confusing. Her birth father was never in the picture, her mom died years ago, and her stepfather, Luca, is now expecting a baby with his new girlfriend. According to Fred's teacher, maps don't always give the full picture of our history, but more and more it feels like Fred's family is redrawing the line of their story . . . and Fred is feeling left off the map.
Soon after learning about the baby, Fred hears that the town will be taking in hundreds of refugees seeking safety from a war-torn Kosovo. Some people in town, like Luca, think it's great and want to help. Others, however, feel differently, causing friction within the community.
Fred, who has been trying to navigate her own feelings of displacement, ends up befriending a few refugees. But what starts as a few friendly words in Albanian will soon change their lives forever, not to mention completely redrawing Fred's personal map of friends, family, and home, and community.
Timeless and beautiful, and it deserves to be read by people of all ages. --Printz Award-winning author Melina Marchetta
If you asked eleven-year-old Fred to draw a map of her family, it would be a bit confusing. Her birth father was never in the picture, her mom died years ago, and her stepfather, Luca, is now expecting a baby with his new girlfriend. According to Fred's teacher, maps don't always give the full picture of our history, but more and more it feels like Fred's family is redrawing the line of their story . . . and Fred is feeling left off the map.
Soon after learning about the baby, Fred hears that the town will be taking in hundreds of refugees seeking safety from a war-torn Kosovo. Some people in town, like Luca, think it's great and want to help. Others, however, feel differently, causing friction within the community.
Fred, who has been trying to navigate her own feelings of displacement, ends up befriending a few refugees. But what starts as a few friendly words in Albanian will soon change their lives forever, not to mention completely redrawing Fred's personal map of friends, family, and home, and community.
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First published May 26, 2020
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About the author
Danielle Binks
8 books129 followersDanielle Binks is a Melbourne-based author, and literary agent.
In 2017, she edited and contributed to Begin, End, Begin, an anthology of new Australian young adult writing inspired by the #LoveOzYA movement, which won the ABIA Book of the Year for Older Children (Ages 13+).
The Year the Maps Changed was Danielle's debut middle-grade novel, and The Monster of Her Age will be her first foray into YA, coming 2021.
In 2017, she edited and contributed to Begin, End, Begin, an anthology of new Australian young adult writing inspired by the #LoveOzYA movement, which won the ABIA Book of the Year for Older Children (Ages 13+).
The Year the Maps Changed was Danielle's debut middle-grade novel, and The Monster of Her Age will be her first foray into YA, coming 2021.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 196 reviews
May 4, 2020
Winifred was eleven and living with her adoptive father Luca – a policeman - and until recently her Pop. But then Luca’s girlfriend Anika and her son Sam moved in and suddenly Winifred (who was called Fred, Freddo and Winnie) felt her house was crowded. She’d lost her mother Maria when she was six and still missed her terribly and didn’t want Sam or Anika in her house. Pop was at a Rehabilitation Centre recovering from the fall he’d had, and Winifred visited him every weekend, and Wednesdays after school.
Winifred had a few friends at school and was close to Jed who lived next door. Aiden was another friend and soon Sam joined the group. Their teacher, Mr Khouri taught geography and maps which Winifred was fascinated by, and he always told them “Not all those who wander are lost” which stuck in Winifred’s mind. But more was to take their interest when they found out 400 refugees were to be arriving and housed in a “safe haven” nearby. As events changed around them, Winifred felt cut adrift. But she felt inside that she had a purpose and when a particular person made an impact on her life, she went with what she felt was right. What would be the result of the year that changed everything for Winifred?
The Year the Maps Changed by Aussie author Danielle Binks is set in the beautiful Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, and gives us a look at one turbulent year in a young girl’s life in which things change, family merges, sadness and tragedy occurs, and she begins to mature. A story of family, love, compassion and right from wrong, The Year the Maps Changed is a powerful middle grade novel which I thoroughly enjoyed. Highly recommended.
With thanks to Hachette Children’s Books AU for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
Winifred had a few friends at school and was close to Jed who lived next door. Aiden was another friend and soon Sam joined the group. Their teacher, Mr Khouri taught geography and maps which Winifred was fascinated by, and he always told them “Not all those who wander are lost” which stuck in Winifred’s mind. But more was to take their interest when they found out 400 refugees were to be arriving and housed in a “safe haven” nearby. As events changed around them, Winifred felt cut adrift. But she felt inside that she had a purpose and when a particular person made an impact on her life, she went with what she felt was right. What would be the result of the year that changed everything for Winifred?
The Year the Maps Changed by Aussie author Danielle Binks is set in the beautiful Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, and gives us a look at one turbulent year in a young girl’s life in which things change, family merges, sadness and tragedy occurs, and she begins to mature. A story of family, love, compassion and right from wrong, The Year the Maps Changed is a powerful middle grade novel which I thoroughly enjoyed. Highly recommended.
With thanks to Hachette Children’s Books AU for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
April 1, 2021
So I did not know that people did not know that Alpha Reader on here is also - me! Hi!
I partly reviewed my book via my 'proper' Goodreads-user account just to show that - yup, been on here since 2010, book-blogging since 2009. I get it!
Maybe I'll take this review space to just say - thank you again, to anyone and everyone who has taken the time to talk about, recommend, buy, read, photograph, review, loan, request, etc. my book - especially in the year 2020, that's BIG and I am so grateful!
And to also say that because I've been on Goodreads and book-blogging *so long* - I really do understand that this space in my context as author is not for me. I do understand, truly! I'm trying not to peek (but it's really hard, good golly) I still don't even know if 'liking' reviews of my book is okay? ... I don't know. I'm figuring this side out!
I am sorry in advance if future-Danielle ever forgets that this space is not for her as author. And if any of my family or friends do that super inappropriate and not-okay thing of railing against a review/er on here ... NO! STOP! APOLOGISE and LEAVE! This is Danielle talking, you're in the wrong - I don't appreciate or want it! NOOOOOO!
Now that's out of the way - thanks again :-)
I partly reviewed my book via my 'proper' Goodreads-user account just to show that - yup, been on here since 2010, book-blogging since 2009. I get it!
Maybe I'll take this review space to just say - thank you again, to anyone and everyone who has taken the time to talk about, recommend, buy, read, photograph, review, loan, request, etc. my book - especially in the year 2020, that's BIG and I am so grateful!
And to also say that because I've been on Goodreads and book-blogging *so long* - I really do understand that this space in my context as author is not for me. I do understand, truly! I'm trying not to peek (but it's really hard, good golly) I still don't even know if 'liking' reviews of my book is okay? ... I don't know. I'm figuring this side out!
I am sorry in advance if future-Danielle ever forgets that this space is not for her as author. And if any of my family or friends do that super inappropriate and not-okay thing of railing against a review/er on here ... NO! STOP! APOLOGISE and LEAVE! This is Danielle talking, you're in the wrong - I don't appreciate or want it! NOOOOOO!
Now that's out of the way - thanks again :-)
May 19, 2020
Hi.
Yes.
I'm doing that author thing of rating their own book, sorry and *grimace emoji*
This book came out on April 28 in the year 2020 which was not ideal but has been pretty amazing. And if I could just say - thank you to all the booksellers, librarians and readers generally who have taken the time to buy or borrow this book, let alone talk about it on various social-media platforms or review it! That's ... amazing. I've been a book-blogger since 2009 so I don't take lightly the effort of spotlighting a book in any capacity and I'm just really grateful - particularly during these times!
So, just - thank you.
Yes.
I'm doing that author thing of rating their own book, sorry and *grimace emoji*
This book came out on April 28 in the year 2020 which was not ideal but has been pretty amazing. And if I could just say - thank you to all the booksellers, librarians and readers generally who have taken the time to buy or borrow this book, let alone talk about it on various social-media platforms or review it! That's ... amazing. I've been a book-blogger since 2009 so I don't take lightly the effort of spotlighting a book in any capacity and I'm just really grateful - particularly during these times!
So, just - thank you.
April 25, 2020
I read The Year the Maps Changed almost in one sitting. It was just brilliant. It reminded me of the books I’d get engrossed in as a kid, reading late into the night because I wanted to stay immersed in the story with the characters.
Fred is in grade six – and she is struggling to find her place within her family, and also the world. She has an eclectic family – her Mum died when she was six years old, and she lives with her Pop, Luca – her late Mum’s partner, Anika and Sam – Luca’s new partner and her son, a year younger than Fred. Luca and Anika have a baby on the way. I really liked how Danielle wrote a non nuclear family unit, and also such diverse communities – something I didn’t experience growing up in regional Australia in the 1990s.
Fred has a really tight friendship group – Aidan, Jed, Keira. While they are mature, aware of worldly issues, they’re still kids – riding their bikes around town, loving Lipsmacker lip gloss and being asked to check in at their parents’ work during school holidays. Fred is trying her best, even though she doesn’t always get things right, and the feeling of disappointing the role models in her life – especially Luca and her teacher Mr Khouri, is a weighty feeling.
Fred is very wise – and often says profound things. I loved this line, where she worries about Luca being her father longer than her Mum was alive:
“I wonder if there’s a worse feeling than knowing that no matter what you do, you’ll hurt someone you love without meaning to.”
In the letter to her readers at the beginning of the book, Danielle said she wrote The Year the Maps Changed as a way of learning something she wanted to know – about the true story of the settlement of Kosovar - Albanian refugees during the Howard-Ruddock leadership on the Mornington Peninsula in 1999. She was the same age as Fred when these refugees arrived, fleeing the war between Kosovo and Serbia in the late 1990s.
Fred becomes involved in the refugee community when Luca, a local police officer, volunteers at the safe haven (an old quarantine station). She also befriends a few – Merjeme and Arta who are the same age as Fred and Sam, and Nora – a patient ay the hospital. She learns a few Albanian words through her friendships.
Many of the community welcome the refugees, but a few oppose. I loved how Danielle wrote about a 12 year old boy whose family planted negative thoughts about refugees in his mind, but his mind was changed when Fred set the record straight about them, based on Luca’s time volunteering at the safe haven.
Geography is a big theme in the book – stemming from the title, and mentioned in most chapters. Mr Khouri, who reminded me of my own favourite teacher (Mrs Crossley), is excellent and asking his students to question what they know. I was moved by many things he taught his students.
I finished reading it feeling so satisfied – full of new knowledge for myself, and the feeling that this book – based on historic events – will remain with Danielle’s young readers for a long time.
I am so proud of you, Danielle.
Read the whole review on my blog: https://carlyfindlay.com.au/2020/04/2...
I will be launching Danielle Binks’ book The Year the Maps Changed with Readings online at 6.30 pm on Thursday 30 April. Danielle is my literary agent and she’s become one of my best friends in the three years since I started working with her. She’s my confidante, fashion advisor and curly girl idol, and I was thrilled when she asked me to launch her book. We planned to do it in the Readings children’s store in Carlton, but then COVID-19 happened, so we are doing it online. You can book tickets here. https://www.readings.com.au/event/dan...
(I received an uncorrected proof from the publisher as part of my work on Danielle’s launch, but I’ll be sure to buy my own final copy soon!)
Fred is in grade six – and she is struggling to find her place within her family, and also the world. She has an eclectic family – her Mum died when she was six years old, and she lives with her Pop, Luca – her late Mum’s partner, Anika and Sam – Luca’s new partner and her son, a year younger than Fred. Luca and Anika have a baby on the way. I really liked how Danielle wrote a non nuclear family unit, and also such diverse communities – something I didn’t experience growing up in regional Australia in the 1990s.
Fred has a really tight friendship group – Aidan, Jed, Keira. While they are mature, aware of worldly issues, they’re still kids – riding their bikes around town, loving Lipsmacker lip gloss and being asked to check in at their parents’ work during school holidays. Fred is trying her best, even though she doesn’t always get things right, and the feeling of disappointing the role models in her life – especially Luca and her teacher Mr Khouri, is a weighty feeling.
Fred is very wise – and often says profound things. I loved this line, where she worries about Luca being her father longer than her Mum was alive:
“I wonder if there’s a worse feeling than knowing that no matter what you do, you’ll hurt someone you love without meaning to.”
In the letter to her readers at the beginning of the book, Danielle said she wrote The Year the Maps Changed as a way of learning something she wanted to know – about the true story of the settlement of Kosovar - Albanian refugees during the Howard-Ruddock leadership on the Mornington Peninsula in 1999. She was the same age as Fred when these refugees arrived, fleeing the war between Kosovo and Serbia in the late 1990s.
Fred becomes involved in the refugee community when Luca, a local police officer, volunteers at the safe haven (an old quarantine station). She also befriends a few – Merjeme and Arta who are the same age as Fred and Sam, and Nora – a patient ay the hospital. She learns a few Albanian words through her friendships.
Many of the community welcome the refugees, but a few oppose. I loved how Danielle wrote about a 12 year old boy whose family planted negative thoughts about refugees in his mind, but his mind was changed when Fred set the record straight about them, based on Luca’s time volunteering at the safe haven.
Geography is a big theme in the book – stemming from the title, and mentioned in most chapters. Mr Khouri, who reminded me of my own favourite teacher (Mrs Crossley), is excellent and asking his students to question what they know. I was moved by many things he taught his students.
I finished reading it feeling so satisfied – full of new knowledge for myself, and the feeling that this book – based on historic events – will remain with Danielle’s young readers for a long time.
I am so proud of you, Danielle.
Read the whole review on my blog: https://carlyfindlay.com.au/2020/04/2...
I will be launching Danielle Binks’ book The Year the Maps Changed with Readings online at 6.30 pm on Thursday 30 April. Danielle is my literary agent and she’s become one of my best friends in the three years since I started working with her. She’s my confidante, fashion advisor and curly girl idol, and I was thrilled when she asked me to launch her book. We planned to do it in the Readings children’s store in Carlton, but then COVID-19 happened, so we are doing it online. You can book tickets here. https://www.readings.com.au/event/dan...
(I received an uncorrected proof from the publisher as part of my work on Danielle’s launch, but I’ll be sure to buy my own final copy soon!)
June 13, 2020
Trigger warnings: death of a parent (in the past), refugee experiences, bigotry towards refugee and minority populations.
"Ow, my feelings" is possibly the best way to sum up this book for me. This is a fantastic upper middle grade/lower YA read. It's often said that the difference between middle grade and young adult books is that middle grade books have to have a happy ending. First of all, I don't think that's true. But even if it is, I feel like this book falls somewhere between traditional middle grade and traditional YA.
I definitely didn't expect this to be as dark as it was. And part of me wishes I'd read up on the Kosovar refugees who came to Australia in 1999 prior to reading it so that I had a better sense of where the story would go. The characters were all fantastic and very human. At its heart, this is a coming-of-age story that deals with grief and changing family situations and the slow realisation that politics is bullshit and will often not go the way that you desperately want it to. And it was wonderful.
"Ow, my feelings" is possibly the best way to sum up this book for me. This is a fantastic upper middle grade/lower YA read. It's often said that the difference between middle grade and young adult books is that middle grade books have to have a happy ending. First of all, I don't think that's true. But even if it is, I feel like this book falls somewhere between traditional middle grade and traditional YA.
I definitely didn't expect this to be as dark as it was. And part of me wishes I'd read up on the Kosovar refugees who came to Australia in 1999 prior to reading it so that I had a better sense of where the story would go. The characters were all fantastic and very human. At its heart, this is a coming-of-age story that deals with grief and changing family situations and the slow realisation that politics is bullshit and will often not go the way that you desperately want it to. And it was wonderful.
January 31, 2022
This book is a complete delight and a welcome addition to the Australian middle grade fiction landscape. Fred's life is complicated and spinning seemingly out of control. She's a very likeable protagonist that many young people will identify with. Her friendships and family dynamics are relatable and bittersweet. The setting (both time and place) is well-developed through considered descriptions and a solid infusion of research and personal experience. Readers who look for an authentic storyline with powerful themes and an interesting backstory will gravitate towards this type of book. It's the kind of novel that advanced middle graders and young deep thinkers will love!
May 10, 2020
Down on the Mornington Peninsula, in the small township of Sorrento, the tides are about to change. It's 1999 and for eleven year old Winifred Owen Ricci, her life is experiencing a shift of seismic proportions. Since losing her mother a few years ago, it's been Fred and her stepfather and police officer Luca against the world, her small family unit including her grandfather, who grieved together and supported one another through the loss of their partner, their mother and their daughter. Luca officially adopted Fred at three years of age but when Anika and her son Sam move into her family home, Fred isn't quite sure where she fits in anymore. Luckily she has the neighbours and best friend Jed, short for Jedi and a nickname given to him by his parents that stuck. Jed has been a part of Fred's life forever, through losing her mum, through her roof climbing escapades and now through Anika and Sam moving into the home she once shared with her mother while her grandfather is in a rehabilitation facility after a fall.
It's a quiet part of the world but lately Fred has felt an ache in her chest, the news from overseas blasting in every home across the country, Kosovo Albanian refugees are driven from their homes by the Serbian army, their country left in ruins, destroyed lives and displaced families. The Australian government were adamant that Australia wouldn't help provide refuge but under public pressure, brought the Kosovo Albanian refugees to Australia under the cover of darkness and hid them away in inhumane detention centres. Fred has a beautiful sense of rightness instilled in her, she isn't sure why anyone in town would protest against helping these people flee their wartorn country, like Mister McMillan who owns the cafe on the main strip. For the most part, the people of the Mornington Peninsula are welcoming, including Fred, Anika, Sam and Luca, who is volunteering at the former army barracks now accommodation for the refugee community.
Being eleven is dreadful sometimes. Fred is in her final year of primary school, a new younger brother who's not really your brother and another on the way, Fred feeling increasingly isolated as Anika and Luca gently announce that their family is expanding. Fred's world is being turned upside down and she doesn't like it. One. Bit. The Trần family next door are wonderful, especially Jed's mother Vi, who has been a mother figure for Fred and an incredibly warm, maternal woman. Vi and her husband are both Vietnamese and met in Australia after fleeing their homeland. With so many diverse, non nuclear and blended families within our communities, it was wonderful to see Fred and Jed's families so beautifully written with compassion and care.
This is very much a coming of age story for Fred but where it differs from most middle grade, is that this isn't only Fred's journey, it's the journey of healing and growing for an entire community through the eyes of an intelligent and astute young woman. I see so much of myself in Fred at that age, learning about the many facets of love, our place within the world and who we want to become. Fred has so many positive role models in her life, Luca and especially Anika. Anika is learning how to parent an almost teen girl and allowed Fred the space to grow and form her own opinions. Although it took a while for Fred to see Anika as someone loving and caring in her life, Anika loved Fred so dearly and is a beautiful example of step parenting written in a positive light.
The secondary characters are lovingly created such as Mr Khouri, their geography teacher who created a fun and inclusive learning environment and Nora, who is a heavily pregnant refugee Fred meets at a hospital visit during Anika's pregnancy. Although most of small town Sorrento and the wider community are welcoming, Fred's friend Aiden begins coming to school with the wildly racist opinions of his father, repeating what's being said at home. Seeing Aiden grow and form his own opinions was such an incredible moment and although he respected his father, he begun to see that he wasn't always right and Aiden didn't need to agree. It was a yes! moment that readers will enjoy.
This isn't a heavy read by any means, there's plenty of lighthearted moments of mischief and laughter but it also raises serious issues such as asylum seekers and how they're treated as less than, especially in Australia. Australia has a terrible history of colonisation and the treatment of First Nations people, we've learnt nothing about the treatment of people and basic human rights. Our current government is the same government who was in power in 1999, when The Year the Maps Changed takes place, same party with interchangeable white men with money. Heartless bastards, the politicians and those who voted for them. The Year the Maps Changed isn't political, instead it provides middle grade readers with the human side of seeking asylum, Nora and children Merjeme and Arta are the fictional faces of those who have been forced to leave their homeland, travel to a strange, new country and then locked up like petty criminals for seeking safety. It only highlights that we're no better than the governments that we vote for and we desperately need to bring about change for the people that Nora, Merjeme and Arta represent.
The Year the Maps Changed is heartachingly beautiful. Danielle Binks has created an exceptional debut novel of warmth, compassion and finding your place in our ever changing world.
It's a quiet part of the world but lately Fred has felt an ache in her chest, the news from overseas blasting in every home across the country, Kosovo Albanian refugees are driven from their homes by the Serbian army, their country left in ruins, destroyed lives and displaced families. The Australian government were adamant that Australia wouldn't help provide refuge but under public pressure, brought the Kosovo Albanian refugees to Australia under the cover of darkness and hid them away in inhumane detention centres. Fred has a beautiful sense of rightness instilled in her, she isn't sure why anyone in town would protest against helping these people flee their wartorn country, like Mister McMillan who owns the cafe on the main strip. For the most part, the people of the Mornington Peninsula are welcoming, including Fred, Anika, Sam and Luca, who is volunteering at the former army barracks now accommodation for the refugee community.
Being eleven is dreadful sometimes. Fred is in her final year of primary school, a new younger brother who's not really your brother and another on the way, Fred feeling increasingly isolated as Anika and Luca gently announce that their family is expanding. Fred's world is being turned upside down and she doesn't like it. One. Bit. The Trần family next door are wonderful, especially Jed's mother Vi, who has been a mother figure for Fred and an incredibly warm, maternal woman. Vi and her husband are both Vietnamese and met in Australia after fleeing their homeland. With so many diverse, non nuclear and blended families within our communities, it was wonderful to see Fred and Jed's families so beautifully written with compassion and care.
This is very much a coming of age story for Fred but where it differs from most middle grade, is that this isn't only Fred's journey, it's the journey of healing and growing for an entire community through the eyes of an intelligent and astute young woman. I see so much of myself in Fred at that age, learning about the many facets of love, our place within the world and who we want to become. Fred has so many positive role models in her life, Luca and especially Anika. Anika is learning how to parent an almost teen girl and allowed Fred the space to grow and form her own opinions. Although it took a while for Fred to see Anika as someone loving and caring in her life, Anika loved Fred so dearly and is a beautiful example of step parenting written in a positive light.
The secondary characters are lovingly created such as Mr Khouri, their geography teacher who created a fun and inclusive learning environment and Nora, who is a heavily pregnant refugee Fred meets at a hospital visit during Anika's pregnancy. Although most of small town Sorrento and the wider community are welcoming, Fred's friend Aiden begins coming to school with the wildly racist opinions of his father, repeating what's being said at home. Seeing Aiden grow and form his own opinions was such an incredible moment and although he respected his father, he begun to see that he wasn't always right and Aiden didn't need to agree. It was a yes! moment that readers will enjoy.
This isn't a heavy read by any means, there's plenty of lighthearted moments of mischief and laughter but it also raises serious issues such as asylum seekers and how they're treated as less than, especially in Australia. Australia has a terrible history of colonisation and the treatment of First Nations people, we've learnt nothing about the treatment of people and basic human rights. Our current government is the same government who was in power in 1999, when The Year the Maps Changed takes place, same party with interchangeable white men with money. Heartless bastards, the politicians and those who voted for them. The Year the Maps Changed isn't political, instead it provides middle grade readers with the human side of seeking asylum, Nora and children Merjeme and Arta are the fictional faces of those who have been forced to leave their homeland, travel to a strange, new country and then locked up like petty criminals for seeking safety. It only highlights that we're no better than the governments that we vote for and we desperately need to bring about change for the people that Nora, Merjeme and Arta represent.
The Year the Maps Changed is heartachingly beautiful. Danielle Binks has created an exceptional debut novel of warmth, compassion and finding your place in our ever changing world.
October 7, 2021
This review was originally posted on The Moonlight Library
This is a middle-grade book, intended for audience more than half my age, so while I'm not the target audience, I did love the author's other book The Monster Of Her Age so much I wanted to give this one a try as well.
I ended up really loving it.
It's really hard for me to say why I loved it so much. Due to it being a coming of age set over one year, it felt like there was little plot sometimes, just a series of events building up on one another - but not in a bad way.
I think the main reason why I loved this so much was that Binks, while not a poetic or flowery writer, managed to nail the emotion each and every time. Bam! Bam! Bam! There goes my heart, breaking over a book I'm not even the target audience for. Or was even that interested in reading?
Binks had this great ability to relate almost everything back to the title. It was story of Kosovo refugees coming to Australia, of blending families, of Australia's history of naming things even though they already have names. Every time there was an allusion to the title I'd be like, yeah, this title is so perfect for this story.
I loved that it was set in 1999, because I was the same age as the protagonist then. There was so many 1999 references, from Mario on the Nintendo 64, to Tazos, to HeartBreak High, that I felt so immersed back in my own childhood. This is one of the reason why I think other people who were culturally immersed in Australia at the turn of the millennium might also find value in this novel, even though they might not normally be middle-grade readers.
Binks has such a great sense of place, describing the locations with what appears to be pinpoint accuracy and namedropping landmarks as if she grew up there (I don't know if she did, I'm not going to be creepy and go research it).
The audiobook narrator was really great, giving such a good performance as an adult looking back on their experience as an eleven year old girl. Because the narration was at arms' length from the action, while we didn't get intimately emotional, there were still a few scenes that made me cry.
Overall I loved this book so very much and it has really cemented Binks as one of my favourite emotional writers, and I would dearly love to read her next one.
This is a middle-grade book, intended for audience more than half my age, so while I'm not the target audience, I did love the author's other book The Monster Of Her Age so much I wanted to give this one a try as well.
I ended up really loving it.
It's really hard for me to say why I loved it so much. Due to it being a coming of age set over one year, it felt like there was little plot sometimes, just a series of events building up on one another - but not in a bad way.
I think the main reason why I loved this so much was that Binks, while not a poetic or flowery writer, managed to nail the emotion each and every time. Bam! Bam! Bam! There goes my heart, breaking over a book I'm not even the target audience for. Or was even that interested in reading?
Binks had this great ability to relate almost everything back to the title. It was story of Kosovo refugees coming to Australia, of blending families, of Australia's history of naming things even though they already have names. Every time there was an allusion to the title I'd be like, yeah, this title is so perfect for this story.
I loved that it was set in 1999, because I was the same age as the protagonist then. There was so many 1999 references, from Mario on the Nintendo 64, to Tazos, to HeartBreak High, that I felt so immersed back in my own childhood. This is one of the reason why I think other people who were culturally immersed in Australia at the turn of the millennium might also find value in this novel, even though they might not normally be middle-grade readers.
Binks has such a great sense of place, describing the locations with what appears to be pinpoint accuracy and namedropping landmarks as if she grew up there (I don't know if she did, I'm not going to be creepy and go research it).
The audiobook narrator was really great, giving such a good performance as an adult looking back on their experience as an eleven year old girl. Because the narration was at arms' length from the action, while we didn't get intimately emotional, there were still a few scenes that made me cry.
Overall I loved this book so very much and it has really cemented Binks as one of my favourite emotional writers, and I would dearly love to read her next one.
August 4, 2020
Full of a lot of heart and there's just so much packed into this lovely little book. It's beautifully written and I really liked the ways maps and geography references were interspersed throughout the story, it was a nice touch. Also, loved the way that Fred and Sam's teacher, Mr Khouri, reminded me of every good teacher I've ever had; those powered by a wish to instill in kids a sense of justice and perspective.
The books doesn't shy away from dealing with some heavy themes, like Australia's questionable policies and treatment of refugees, difficult family dynamics, and also loss and grief. The book is tinged with sadness in places and you may have a little cry, but overall, it's all so delicately handled. I wish I'd had a book like this around when I was younger to help me make sense of some of the harsh realities of the world
I can totally imagine this as a heart-warming film adaptation showcasing the Mornington Peninsula, get on it Screen Australia!
The books doesn't shy away from dealing with some heavy themes, like Australia's questionable policies and treatment of refugees, difficult family dynamics, and also loss and grief. The book is tinged with sadness in places and you may have a little cry, but overall, it's all so delicately handled. I wish I'd had a book like this around when I was younger to help me make sense of some of the harsh realities of the world
I can totally imagine this as a heart-warming film adaptation showcasing the Mornington Peninsula, get on it Screen Australia!
February 25, 2020
Strong sense of time and place. Lovely friendships, complicated family drama.
Loved it a lot.
Loved it a lot.
April 25, 2023
An absolutely beautiful book; it will be difficult to write a review that does it justice.
Set in Australia in 1999, the main plot line is the hundreds of refugees fleeing their homeland of Kosovo, the reaction of people in the cities they arrive in, and the conditions under which they are housed.
This novel is narrated by twelve-year-old Fred. Her favorite teacher is always teaching the class about maps , and how they don’t always give a full picture of history. And, how quickly their lines can shift. Fred can relate; the “map lines” of her family have shifted and changed so much, she’s not quite sure how they line up anymore. When Fred and her school chums meet some of the Kosovo refugees that are their age, the group wants to do something, anything, to help, even if it means disagreeing with their parents…
Excellent historical fiction about a subject that rarely surfaces in a middle-grade book. Hard to believe that this was the author’s debut novel; I will be on the lookout for more from her!
Set in Australia in 1999, the main plot line is the hundreds of refugees fleeing their homeland of Kosovo, the reaction of people in the cities they arrive in, and the conditions under which they are housed.
This novel is narrated by twelve-year-old Fred. Her favorite teacher is always teaching the class about maps , and how they don’t always give a full picture of history. And, how quickly their lines can shift. Fred can relate; the “map lines” of her family have shifted and changed so much, she’s not quite sure how they line up anymore. When Fred and her school chums meet some of the Kosovo refugees that are their age, the group wants to do something, anything, to help, even if it means disagreeing with their parents…
Excellent historical fiction about a subject that rarely surfaces in a middle-grade book. Hard to believe that this was the author’s debut novel; I will be on the lookout for more from her!
May 8, 2020
Knowing what an intense story this could be, I was surprised at how easy it was to get engrossed into this book. I felt I was able to connect with the characters and really follow the story intently. The themes of this book were so important - from family, to friendship to the issues of refugees, specifically Kosovar-Albanian refugees in the late 90's. The story really is touching and one that will stay with me for awhile. Written very well and very engaging - highly recommended to readers from 10 years old and up though some parental guidance may be required for some of the themes covered in the book. I really appreciate being part of this blog tour. With many thanks to Hachette Publishers and Aus YA bloggers for providing me with an advance review copy and for having me on board for this blog tour. Review +Q&A with the author is posted on the blog... Congrats again, Danielle!!!
May 30, 2020
Such a beautiful book with so many thought-provoking themes. I can’t wait to share it with my daughter when she’s a bit older. I loved the imagery of maps running through the whole book, as people’s way of making sense of the world, but with the understanding that they were flawed because of the innate subjectivity of them. Having this run through family, friendships and international conflict was a really smart way to make these themes really relatable and accessible for young readers
May 24, 2021
Absolutely wonderful story of a childhood on the Mornington Peninsula and the impact of Operation Safe Haven, the repatriation of Kosovar refugees in 1999.
February 15, 2020
Review copy supplied by publisher.
Danielle Binks's debut novel is wonderful. Written with a light but confident touch, Binks draws on events and places from her childhood to infuse this coming of age story with an authenticity that is hard to deny. Having grown up in Frankston and frequently visiting locations along the Mornington Peninsula myself, it was lovely to see places I knew popping up. Sphinx Rock, Point Nepean, Sorrento and the enduring Farrell's Bookshop were welcome touchstones all the way through.
Winnifred (Fred) is a clear and affecting character. Still working her way through the grief of losing her mother five years earlier, she struggles with changes happening in her small family. When we meet Fred, her beloved grandfather Jeff is in hospital. With his steadying presence taken away, Fred finds coping with other changes such as her father's new partner (and her son Sam) even more difficult. Then the Kosovo refugees start arriving.
Fred's father, Luca, is a local police officer and Fred finds herself caught up in the plight of the displaced people escaping a war zone as her father is volunteering in the safe haven at Point Nepean. As Fred's life becomes further complicated by the pregnancy of Anika, her father's girlfriend, she becomes more and more anxious about the fate of the refugees.
The way the author links these events, and the way they are portrayed shows her prodigious writing talent. Binks has commented that this novel was five years in the making, and the care she has taken shows on every page. Not only are the central characters convincingly realised, the supporting characters such as Fred's teacher Mr Khouri; her friend Jed, and Jed's mum Vi are great and have important things to add to the story. This would be a useful companion read to something like The Bone Sparrow in a school setting.
There are sad times, confusing times, happy times and most of all, a big dose of hope contained in these pages. I hope this is a huge hit for Binks because I for one can't wait to read more of her work.
Suitable for ages 9 and up.
Danielle Binks's debut novel is wonderful. Written with a light but confident touch, Binks draws on events and places from her childhood to infuse this coming of age story with an authenticity that is hard to deny. Having grown up in Frankston and frequently visiting locations along the Mornington Peninsula myself, it was lovely to see places I knew popping up. Sphinx Rock, Point Nepean, Sorrento and the enduring Farrell's Bookshop were welcome touchstones all the way through.
Winnifred (Fred) is a clear and affecting character. Still working her way through the grief of losing her mother five years earlier, she struggles with changes happening in her small family. When we meet Fred, her beloved grandfather Jeff is in hospital. With his steadying presence taken away, Fred finds coping with other changes such as her father's new partner (and her son Sam) even more difficult. Then the Kosovo refugees start arriving.
Fred's father, Luca, is a local police officer and Fred finds herself caught up in the plight of the displaced people escaping a war zone as her father is volunteering in the safe haven at Point Nepean. As Fred's life becomes further complicated by the pregnancy of Anika, her father's girlfriend, she becomes more and more anxious about the fate of the refugees.
The way the author links these events, and the way they are portrayed shows her prodigious writing talent. Binks has commented that this novel was five years in the making, and the care she has taken shows on every page. Not only are the central characters convincingly realised, the supporting characters such as Fred's teacher Mr Khouri; her friend Jed, and Jed's mum Vi are great and have important things to add to the story. This would be a useful companion read to something like The Bone Sparrow in a school setting.
There are sad times, confusing times, happy times and most of all, a big dose of hope contained in these pages. I hope this is a huge hit for Binks because I for one can't wait to read more of her work.
Suitable for ages 9 and up.
June 10, 2023
‘Maps lie. Or at least they don’t always tell the truth. They’re like us humans that way.’
Sorrento, Victoria 1999. Eleven-year-old Winifred (Fred) lives with her adoptive father Luca, and her Pop, Jeff. Her mother, Maria, died when she was six, and Fred (also known as Freddo and Winnie) misses her terribly. But home feels crowded now, Luca’s girlfriend Anika and her son Sam have moved in. And when Pop has a fall and has to move into the Rye Rehabilitation Centre for treatment, Fred feels unsettled.
'I was eleven when everything started and twelve by the end. But that's another way maps lie, because it felt like the distance travelled was a whole lot further than that.'
And, from the other side of the world, 400 Kosovar-Albanian refugees arrive to be housed near Sorento, as part of ‘Operation Safe Haven’, Fred and her family become part of a much bigger set of issues. One person in particular has an impact on Fred’s life and doing what they think is right creates a number of challenges for Fred and those around her.
Ms Binks has written a thoughtful and thought-provoking novel which touches on many different issues. We accompany Fred as the story unfolds, we can feel her uncertainties and witness the challenges facing her and her family. This may be a novel for middle graders, but this senior adult found it interesting and engaging. This was Ms Binks’s first novel, and I recommend it highly.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Sorrento, Victoria 1999. Eleven-year-old Winifred (Fred) lives with her adoptive father Luca, and her Pop, Jeff. Her mother, Maria, died when she was six, and Fred (also known as Freddo and Winnie) misses her terribly. But home feels crowded now, Luca’s girlfriend Anika and her son Sam have moved in. And when Pop has a fall and has to move into the Rye Rehabilitation Centre for treatment, Fred feels unsettled.
'I was eleven when everything started and twelve by the end. But that's another way maps lie, because it felt like the distance travelled was a whole lot further than that.'
And, from the other side of the world, 400 Kosovar-Albanian refugees arrive to be housed near Sorento, as part of ‘Operation Safe Haven’, Fred and her family become part of a much bigger set of issues. One person in particular has an impact on Fred’s life and doing what they think is right creates a number of challenges for Fred and those around her.
Ms Binks has written a thoughtful and thought-provoking novel which touches on many different issues. We accompany Fred as the story unfolds, we can feel her uncertainties and witness the challenges facing her and her family. This may be a novel for middle graders, but this senior adult found it interesting and engaging. This was Ms Binks’s first novel, and I recommend it highly.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
May 18, 2020
Maps lie.
I am hooked from the first line.
I love a map and so too does the main character, Winifred. Winifred to her teacher, Fred to Luca and Pop and Freddo or Winnie to others. Fred is searching for her own place and a map to guide her.
As it is set in the Sorrento area of Victoria, some readers will recognise the land marks and some of us older readers will also remember the Kosovar-Albanian refugees arrival too. Fred and her wonderful teacher Mr Khouri will keep the reader turning the pages and thinking about maps and directions too.
I am hooked from the first line.
I love a map and so too does the main character, Winifred. Winifred to her teacher, Fred to Luca and Pop and Freddo or Winnie to others. Fred is searching for her own place and a map to guide her.
As it is set in the Sorrento area of Victoria, some readers will recognise the land marks and some of us older readers will also remember the Kosovar-Albanian refugees arrival too. Fred and her wonderful teacher Mr Khouri will keep the reader turning the pages and thinking about maps and directions too.
October 17, 2021
It is easy to get a child's voice wrong - it's in trying to capture innocence without it coming across as stupidity, I think. This book is told from the perspective of a 12-year-old, and it is done with absolute believability to the reader. I also loved the way the author wove the concept of maps and geography throughout the story. I will absolutely be reading more from Danielle Binks and I'm glad to have come across her work. Highly recommended!
September 26, 2021
So beautiful.
April 27, 2020
4.5 stars
*I received a copy of this book from Hachette Australia as part of the blog tour organised by AusYABloggers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Year the Maps Changed was one of my most anticipated books of 2020. Not just because it’s Danielle Binks, but also because it’s set in Sorrento, right across the bay from Queenscliff, where I spent all my childhood and teenage summers with my Grandparents. I knew that this book was going to have a special place in my heart. And I was right…
It really felt like going back to my childhood summers around that sort of area of Queenscliff, Sorrento, Rosebud and so on. Fred lives there full-time with her family rather than living there just in the summer months, but there was just something so homey about it. No matter where you grew up, I really think Fred’s feelings and experience of Sorrento are the same as any childhood hometown. It just made me feel so warm and fuzzy inside. Whether you’ve been to Sorrento or not, I think the setting really comes to life around the characters.
I absolutely loved Fred. She definitely has her not-so-great moments, but she has so much empathy and intelligence—I really think she’s the kind of child protagonist the world needs right now. And despite the book being set in 1999, a lot of things that go on in the story are still going on now. The understanding that Fred and her family have for the refugees in this story should be something we emanate now. I think this is a great way to teach kids about detention centres, especially from the perspective of a character that could relate to.
There was definitely a lot more in this book than I was expecting. I was prepared for a funny, sometimes emotional story about a young girl growing up and learning more about the world around her. I didn’t expect it to make me cry as much as it did. I don’t know if I’m just particularly emotional at the moment because of everything going on, but there were a few moments that had me bawling my eyes out—and they were the happy moments. I don’t want to spoil anything obviously, but the level of empathy Fred has just really got to me.
This is really filled with so many nuanced emotions—this is a book of hope and sadness and anger at the injustice of the world, both on a personal and community scale. It’s about friendship and family and sticking up for what’s right even against all odds. I hope this finds it’s way into the hands of kids (and adults) everywhere, especially while the world is the way it is.
Hope and love can make a difference.
*I received a copy of this book from Hachette Australia as part of the blog tour organised by AusYABloggers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Year the Maps Changed was one of my most anticipated books of 2020. Not just because it’s Danielle Binks, but also because it’s set in Sorrento, right across the bay from Queenscliff, where I spent all my childhood and teenage summers with my Grandparents. I knew that this book was going to have a special place in my heart. And I was right…
It really felt like going back to my childhood summers around that sort of area of Queenscliff, Sorrento, Rosebud and so on. Fred lives there full-time with her family rather than living there just in the summer months, but there was just something so homey about it. No matter where you grew up, I really think Fred’s feelings and experience of Sorrento are the same as any childhood hometown. It just made me feel so warm and fuzzy inside. Whether you’ve been to Sorrento or not, I think the setting really comes to life around the characters.
I absolutely loved Fred. She definitely has her not-so-great moments, but she has so much empathy and intelligence—I really think she’s the kind of child protagonist the world needs right now. And despite the book being set in 1999, a lot of things that go on in the story are still going on now. The understanding that Fred and her family have for the refugees in this story should be something we emanate now. I think this is a great way to teach kids about detention centres, especially from the perspective of a character that could relate to.
There was definitely a lot more in this book than I was expecting. I was prepared for a funny, sometimes emotional story about a young girl growing up and learning more about the world around her. I didn’t expect it to make me cry as much as it did. I don’t know if I’m just particularly emotional at the moment because of everything going on, but there were a few moments that had me bawling my eyes out—and they were the happy moments. I don’t want to spoil anything obviously, but the level of empathy Fred has just really got to me.
This is really filled with so many nuanced emotions—this is a book of hope and sadness and anger at the injustice of the world, both on a personal and community scale. It’s about friendship and family and sticking up for what’s right even against all odds. I hope this finds it’s way into the hands of kids (and adults) everywhere, especially while the world is the way it is.
Hope and love can make a difference.
June 8, 2020
Disclaimer: Danielle Binks is my agent.
So it’s just as well I loved this gem of a book. There were more than a few tender and heart-breaking moments in this empathetic exploration of friendship, loyalty, family, grief and loss.
There is so much packed into this middle-grade novel, but at its core it’s a book about navigating some really tough decisions, realising that everyone makes mistakes, and that love is what makes a family.
Such a great read, highly recommended for upper primary school and above, and anyone else who enjoys being able to see the world through a child’s eyes again.
So it’s just as well I loved this gem of a book. There were more than a few tender and heart-breaking moments in this empathetic exploration of friendship, loyalty, family, grief and loss.
There is so much packed into this middle-grade novel, but at its core it’s a book about navigating some really tough decisions, realising that everyone makes mistakes, and that love is what makes a family.
Such a great read, highly recommended for upper primary school and above, and anyone else who enjoys being able to see the world through a child’s eyes again.
December 28, 2020
I loved this! Loved that it was set on the Peninsula! And fun fact: it was published on my birthday!
June 15, 2020
Writer, agent, editor, LoveOzYA champion, blogger, reviewer and middle grade expert. These are just some of Danielle Binks’ achievements. But with her debut middle grade novel, The Year the Maps Changed, she has announced herself as an important voice in Australian Children’s literature with this cracker of a book!
This is such an accomplished debut demonstrating expert handling of plot, multiple characters and complex themes - all through the effortless voice of our protagonist, 12 year old Fred (short for Winifred). This book is going to be a brilliant read for upper primary and year 7 and 8 because it not only reaches into Australia’s refugee history but also because it challenges ideas about developing your moral compass and acting for change. It is a world populated with wonderful characters including the adults – something that not all middle grade novels manage to achieve - adding so much to the complex family dynamic that Fred travels through over the year this story is set. The sense of place, Sorrento 1999, is visceral and the time period deftly conjured through just the right amount of delightful detail.
The true story of Operation Safe Haven in 1999 where Australia housed Albanian and Kosovar refugees, underpins the year in Fred’s life where she has to face personal family upheavals, grief old and new, balance changing friendships and make choices that will inform her identity. The geology metaphors perfectly scaffolds Fred’s growing world view and personal development. This is coming of age narrative with a huge heart and told with bold authenticity that is an absolute gem of a read.
This is such an accomplished debut demonstrating expert handling of plot, multiple characters and complex themes - all through the effortless voice of our protagonist, 12 year old Fred (short for Winifred). This book is going to be a brilliant read for upper primary and year 7 and 8 because it not only reaches into Australia’s refugee history but also because it challenges ideas about developing your moral compass and acting for change. It is a world populated with wonderful characters including the adults – something that not all middle grade novels manage to achieve - adding so much to the complex family dynamic that Fred travels through over the year this story is set. The sense of place, Sorrento 1999, is visceral and the time period deftly conjured through just the right amount of delightful detail.
The true story of Operation Safe Haven in 1999 where Australia housed Albanian and Kosovar refugees, underpins the year in Fred’s life where she has to face personal family upheavals, grief old and new, balance changing friendships and make choices that will inform her identity. The geology metaphors perfectly scaffolds Fred’s growing world view and personal development. This is coming of age narrative with a huge heart and told with bold authenticity that is an absolute gem of a read.
March 18, 2020
Absolutely adored this #LoveOzMG debut. Full of heart, empathy, friendship and equal parts devastating and beautiful family moments. Fred is such a wonderful main character, going through life at a time where there were so many changes. Not only in the world around her, but also within herself. The setting of the book, in the Mornington Peninsula, is also utilised so well. We had a lot of family holidays in Rosebud when I was a kid, so it's always a nice little jolt when you see something so familiar in a story!
Beautiful cover illustration by Astred Hicks too.
Beautiful cover illustration by Astred Hicks too.
August 18, 2021
She wasn’t sure how she came to have so many names, Winifred, Fred or Winnie, but that is the way it is. Fred’s life has included some ugly curve balls. Mum died when she was three and Grandma has died too. Her family is Pop, Luca her dad and herself. Point Nepean Primary is a small school. Sorrento is a small beach side town. Luca is a local policeman.
Pop had a fall and went to a rehabilitation hospital for months.
Anika and Sam become part of Fred’s family. Sam’s dad doesn’t call or visit. Anika and Luca are expecting a baby. Fred and Sam wonder how it will affect the family.
School changes too. Sam was in Fred’s class. Mr Khouri is a good teacher and explains lots.
Refugees from Kosovo are settled in The Sanctuary at the tip of the peninsula. Fred’s world is changed forever.
I enjoyed the interwoven plots and the rich characters.
Recommended for tween 10+
Pop had a fall and went to a rehabilitation hospital for months.
Anika and Sam become part of Fred’s family. Sam’s dad doesn’t call or visit. Anika and Luca are expecting a baby. Fred and Sam wonder how it will affect the family.
School changes too. Sam was in Fred’s class. Mr Khouri is a good teacher and explains lots.
Refugees from Kosovo are settled in The Sanctuary at the tip of the peninsula. Fred’s world is changed forever.
I enjoyed the interwoven plots and the rich characters.
Recommended for tween 10+
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April 29, 2020This review was first published on the Underground Writer's website: http://underground-writers.org/review...
Fred has to get used to a lot in 1999—her family is changing and so is her hometown, and there are going to be growing pains. Despite being set over two decades ago, The Year the Maps Changed by Danielle Binks provides a prescient, timely and profoundly kind entry point into Australian issues and politics for intrigued young readers (like its protagonist). It addresses themes of grief, geography and generosity with a deft hand, through the eyes of a perceptive and caring 11-year-old with many nicknames, and a town that is changed by refugees seeking sanctuary from war.
It uses the issues of sharing Australia’s “boundless plains” parallel with sharing your space in a home that your family is quickly outgrowing. It carries the theme of man-made borders throughout, addressing the idea that just because something exists—a country, a place, a city, a house—that it will always be the same. When we chart and map a place it becomes enshrined and viewed as almost permanent, and this book walks its young readers through the concept of spaces being living, vibrant and subject to positive change. It encourages critical thinking about the nature of these spaces, and helps the audience breathe out into the new ones. The friction Fred feels when she learns her family will be changing forever, while she is still in the middle of learning to live without her late mother is one the audience feels as well, and learns to move through with her and her family.
For its middle-grade readership, it’s a great opportunity to learn the difference between what is right and what is expected. The Year the Maps Changed encourages its readers to develop their own moral compass and thoughts, independent of peer pressure and informed with deep empathy for others.
Well-researched and written with compassion, this book is excellent for young and curious eyes.
Fred has to get used to a lot in 1999—her family is changing and so is her hometown, and there are going to be growing pains. Despite being set over two decades ago, The Year the Maps Changed by Danielle Binks provides a prescient, timely and profoundly kind entry point into Australian issues and politics for intrigued young readers (like its protagonist). It addresses themes of grief, geography and generosity with a deft hand, through the eyes of a perceptive and caring 11-year-old with many nicknames, and a town that is changed by refugees seeking sanctuary from war.
It uses the issues of sharing Australia’s “boundless plains” parallel with sharing your space in a home that your family is quickly outgrowing. It carries the theme of man-made borders throughout, addressing the idea that just because something exists—a country, a place, a city, a house—that it will always be the same. When we chart and map a place it becomes enshrined and viewed as almost permanent, and this book walks its young readers through the concept of spaces being living, vibrant and subject to positive change. It encourages critical thinking about the nature of these spaces, and helps the audience breathe out into the new ones. The friction Fred feels when she learns her family will be changing forever, while she is still in the middle of learning to live without her late mother is one the audience feels as well, and learns to move through with her and her family.
For its middle-grade readership, it’s a great opportunity to learn the difference between what is right and what is expected. The Year the Maps Changed encourages its readers to develop their own moral compass and thoughts, independent of peer pressure and informed with deep empathy for others.
Well-researched and written with compassion, this book is excellent for young and curious eyes.
April 29, 2020
11 year old Winifred Owen-Ricci felt her world shifting once again. There was that big one when her mother died but this year, her 11th year, she felt her world to lose its smoothness and little bumps and lumps are emerging. Just as she has to adjust herself to her father's new partner and her son moving in, a group of Kosovar-Albanian refugees were brought in to a 'safe haven' not far from her town. As her life touches those of the refugees' so begin some little ripples of change but what can an 11 year old girl do to help?
The Year the Maps Changed was such an easy and engaging book to read. I was quickly drawn into Winnie's (aka Fred's or Freddo's) world and fell in love... with her parents. It is heartwarming to see a good parental models in MG fiction though not to say that they are perfect but they try and mostly, they do good. The novel primarily is about a child's life in a small town as she struggles to fit in into her new blended family.
The novel also dealt with a contemporary issues of refugees. And while it refers specifically to the Kosovar-Albanian ones who came to Australia in 1999, the same issue and concern still exist today in regard to refugees. Even as Winnie is confused about her spot in the family, she and her friends are also curious about the refugees and the reason for the war. Her sympathy engaged, she dared to put out a helping hand.
I got my 10 year old boy to read this too but unfortunately, it failed to engage him. He does not think himself as a reader and when he does read, he prefers books with the typical boy humour (a very narrow preference). He thinks it is boring because it's just about everyday life where nothing really happens. He has been very fortunate in having grown up in a rather traditional family structure, I think, that he lacks the appreciation how much a struggle 'everyday life' could be when your family structure & dynamics change. From my perspective (I grew up with older half siblings), this novel has dealt with this issue sensitively and provided a lovely broad perspective of just how it could all work.
Life, as we all know, is never a smooth ride. Just as you think to switch the cruise control on, there's a turn or a bump coming up and you'll have to navigate manually. In The Year the Maps Changed, Winnie's world (aka map) was changing and expanding with additional turns, cracks, and bumps. Changes come in all forms and many different directions; from her life's centre (her family) to her friends to worldwide concerns. She is learning to negotiate life inside out, growing and expanding herself to adjust to her new world. Beautifully set by Victoria's Mornington Peninsula, The Year the Maps Changed is a new & gorgeous landmark in all readers' landscapes or it should be!
Thanks to Date a Book, Hachette Australia, & Hachette New Zealand for copy of book in exchange of honest review. And thanks, AusYABloggers for organising the tour.
The Year the Maps Changed was such an easy and engaging book to read. I was quickly drawn into Winnie's (aka Fred's or Freddo's) world and fell in love... with her parents. It is heartwarming to see a good parental models in MG fiction though not to say that they are perfect but they try and mostly, they do good. The novel primarily is about a child's life in a small town as she struggles to fit in into her new blended family.
The novel also dealt with a contemporary issues of refugees. And while it refers specifically to the Kosovar-Albanian ones who came to Australia in 1999, the same issue and concern still exist today in regard to refugees. Even as Winnie is confused about her spot in the family, she and her friends are also curious about the refugees and the reason for the war. Her sympathy engaged, she dared to put out a helping hand.
I got my 10 year old boy to read this too but unfortunately, it failed to engage him. He does not think himself as a reader and when he does read, he prefers books with the typical boy humour (a very narrow preference). He thinks it is boring because it's just about everyday life where nothing really happens. He has been very fortunate in having grown up in a rather traditional family structure, I think, that he lacks the appreciation how much a struggle 'everyday life' could be when your family structure & dynamics change. From my perspective (I grew up with older half siblings), this novel has dealt with this issue sensitively and provided a lovely broad perspective of just how it could all work.
Life, as we all know, is never a smooth ride. Just as you think to switch the cruise control on, there's a turn or a bump coming up and you'll have to navigate manually. In The Year the Maps Changed, Winnie's world (aka map) was changing and expanding with additional turns, cracks, and bumps. Changes come in all forms and many different directions; from her life's centre (her family) to her friends to worldwide concerns. She is learning to negotiate life inside out, growing and expanding herself to adjust to her new world. Beautifully set by Victoria's Mornington Peninsula, The Year the Maps Changed is a new & gorgeous landmark in all readers' landscapes or it should be!
Thanks to Date a Book, Hachette Australia, & Hachette New Zealand for copy of book in exchange of honest review. And thanks, AusYABloggers for organising the tour.
May 4, 2020
'I was eleven when everything started and twelve by the end. But that's another way maps lie, because it felt like the distance travelled was a whole lot further than that.'
Fred's family is a mess. Fred's mother died when she was six and she's been raised by her Pop and adoptive father, Luca, ever since. But now Pop is at the Rye Rehabilitation Centre recovering from a fall; Luca's girlfriend, Anika, has moved in; and Fred's just found out that Anika and Luca are having a baby of their own. More and more it feels like a land-grab for family and Fred is the one being left off the map.
This #LoveOzMG debut is at once sweet and a little sad. Fred is a highly likeable protagonist, displaying intelligence and compassion far beyond that of a regular tween girl. She has her faults, but ultimately she learns from her errors and has some rad adults guiding her. She has some truly profound moments, there are lessons in this book that some adults I know IRL could do with learning.
Fred and her friends and family immediately make the reader feel comfortable in joining their journey. The detail of local colour in this is wonderful, since I moved to Melbourne reading books set in and around the city and the Bay have been a priority for me. From the title, it’s no surprise that the geography of the local area would come into play - I could smell the briny sea, hear the rumble of the 787 bus and I knew what Fred’s house and street looked like.
I loved that Fred’s parents play a prominent role in the story, often in Middle Grade and YA the focus is solely on the child protagonist and the adults are conveniently cut out. It was really good to have Fred’s insight to some very adult themes and scenes. Kids pick up on more than we realise, and having the adults be allowed to exist in her world allowed for explanation of those themes.
Middle Grade isn’t my usual read, most of you know I am a #LitFic snob. But when a middle grade novel fights through the internet algorithms for me to stumble across it, then I know it’s worth the read. Binks does a tremendous job at dissecting themes of compassion, racism, community, grief and family.
Fred's family is a mess. Fred's mother died when she was six and she's been raised by her Pop and adoptive father, Luca, ever since. But now Pop is at the Rye Rehabilitation Centre recovering from a fall; Luca's girlfriend, Anika, has moved in; and Fred's just found out that Anika and Luca are having a baby of their own. More and more it feels like a land-grab for family and Fred is the one being left off the map.
This #LoveOzMG debut is at once sweet and a little sad. Fred is a highly likeable protagonist, displaying intelligence and compassion far beyond that of a regular tween girl. She has her faults, but ultimately she learns from her errors and has some rad adults guiding her. She has some truly profound moments, there are lessons in this book that some adults I know IRL could do with learning.
Fred and her friends and family immediately make the reader feel comfortable in joining their journey. The detail of local colour in this is wonderful, since I moved to Melbourne reading books set in and around the city and the Bay have been a priority for me. From the title, it’s no surprise that the geography of the local area would come into play - I could smell the briny sea, hear the rumble of the 787 bus and I knew what Fred’s house and street looked like.
I loved that Fred’s parents play a prominent role in the story, often in Middle Grade and YA the focus is solely on the child protagonist and the adults are conveniently cut out. It was really good to have Fred’s insight to some very adult themes and scenes. Kids pick up on more than we realise, and having the adults be allowed to exist in her world allowed for explanation of those themes.
Middle Grade isn’t my usual read, most of you know I am a #LitFic snob. But when a middle grade novel fights through the internet algorithms for me to stumble across it, then I know it’s worth the read. Binks does a tremendous job at dissecting themes of compassion, racism, community, grief and family.
January 19, 2021
I adore Middle Grade fiction. I also love stories set in the familiarity of my own backyard—in this case the Mornington Peninsula—but in an era very different to the Peninsula I currently call home. The Year the Maps Changed drops the reader into the year 1999, where we’re introduced to Winifred (Fred / Freddo), a girl dealing with some heavy family dynamics, who also becomes enmeshed in the Kosovar-Albanian refugee crisis that saw Point Nepean become a ‘safe haven’ for numerous refugees fleeing their war-torn borders.
The Year the Maps Changed deals with big themes that are handled exceptionally well - always a credit to a MG author – and combines a well-researched and interesting period in Australia’s history with a plot and characters that will squeeze your heart. I loved the reoccurring map/life metaphors throughout, and the last line is absolutely perfect. Bravo!
The Year the Maps Changed deals with big themes that are handled exceptionally well - always a credit to a MG author – and combines a well-researched and interesting period in Australia’s history with a plot and characters that will squeeze your heart. I loved the reoccurring map/life metaphors throughout, and the last line is absolutely perfect. Bravo!
May 14, 2022
This book has some pretty challenging themes and it gets a bit dark in places. I did enjoy it and it was interesting to see how the author managed some of the themes.
Definitely worth a read.
Definitely worth a read.
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