Adolescent Novel - Sophie

*Mahtab's Story*

Based on a true story, 'Mahtab's Story' was published in 2008. Libby Gleeson tells the story of a young girl who's family flees Afghanistan due to persecution. It follows their traumatic journey to Pakistan, Indonesia and on to Australia by boat. 'Mahtab's Story' tells the refugee story in a way that is appropriate for children and young adults to read and empathise with. It also tells the story of being an outsider, which is a common theme in Gleeson's work and in adolescent fiction. This narrative is told in third person which is a common narrative style. It allows the author to describe the protagonist's emotions and what they are experiencing, while also addressing other characters in the story.

This a complex topic but Gleeson portrays the refugee experience in an honest way. She admits she carried out a lot of research and interviewing with young refugee girls in Australia before writing this novel. This text would be ideal to use with middle or senior school students when studying the topic of refugees and asylum seekers. This issue is very topical in Australian politics and media and should be addressed as part of the Society and Environment curriculum.