Janine McVeagh

13-year-old Amy Phelps lives in the tiny Central Otago settlement of Hills Creek. Her alcoholic father has brought the family to ruin and when rich Aunt Delia urges Amy to come live in Dunedin, Amy jumps at the chance. In Dunedin, Amy enters a different world which includes aunt Delia's involvement in the campaign to get women the vote.

This entire series is a wonderful way to learn history or teach it to adolescents. I find today's generations seem to recall more when they learn through other people (pop songs, celebrity gossip, etc.), so what better way to teach history than through someone else's perspective? Yes, "authentic" diaries would be "better", but would the language really hold the modern student's attention? Did the diary writer know what WOULD be important in the context of history? Probably not.

This entire series is a wonderful way to learn history or teach it to adolescents. I find today's generations seem to recall more when they learn through other people (pop songs, celebrity gossip, etc.), so what better way to teach history than through someone else's perspective? Yes, "authentic" diaries would be "better", but would the language really hold the modern student's attention? Did the diary writer know what WOULD be important in the context of history? Probably not.