Nova Weetman, Frankie and Joely, University of Queensland Press, 1 July 2015, 256pp., $19.95 (pbk), ISBN 9780702253638
Best-friends-forever Frankie and Joely go for a summer holiday on Joely’s relatives’ farm. Although the country is a strange place for Frankie, Joely seems more at home with her cousins and their parents than she is with her own mum. Last time she was there, Joely fell for Rory and he’s still lounging around and making trouble. For best friends, though, Frankie and Joely have a lot of secrets they aren’t willing to share and more brew along the way. Rory wants Frankie, Mack is furious at the thought and Thommo is just that bit behind when it comes to dealings of the heart. After much hurt and incidence, the trouble over Rory is sorted and forgiven. The holiday is saved as the realisation comes to both girls that nothing – particularly an unfaithful boy – is worth more than their friendship.
This story of the strong bond between fifteen year old girls emphasises all the awkwardness, jealousies and drama of daily life. Frankie and Joely have such big secrets, though, and share so little that it’s hard to know why they are friends at all. At times their miscommunication causes almost irreconcilable problems. The strong presence of Aunt Jill helps, even though she mostly leaves them alone to sort out their own issues. For older readers interested in the intricacies of relationships.
Teachers’ Notes are available on the UQP website.
Reviewed by Pam Harvey
