The Listmaker

Robin Klein

Penguin Books: Viking

September 1997 $19.95

226p pb

ISBN: 0-670-87175-3

The List Maker by Robin Klein is a realistic, easy to read book about a 12 year old girl named Sarah Radcliff. Sarah was very excited about her dad remarrying; she would be moving out of her aunt’s home and into an apartment with her dad and new mother. She would never have to board at school again. She had really high hopes that everything was going to change and she would be happier. She just had to get through one more summer with her aunts and if all went to plan she would have a brand new life with her father and new mother.

This book follows Sarah through what she thinks is her last summer with her aunts.  Unfortunately Sarah discovers that her dad and step mother don’t want her in their new life. She finds out the meaning of true friendship and what families are. She stops pushing away the people who sincerely care about her and finds her new family and home. 

Although this book was very easy to read I found that it didn’t have me wanting to read more. I felt the plot was very flat and I kept on wanting something big to happen but it never did or it wasn’t built up very much. Also the book doesn’t really provide a good understanding of what has happened before the novel starts for example I wanted to find out more about Sarah’s real mother.

I recommend this light book for middle to upper primary students as it is more suited to that age group; it may disappoint older readers wanting something meaningful, dramatic or deep.

Helen, aged 14, Canberra, Australia