Paul Collins, Harry Kruize, Born to Lose, Ford Street, March 2017, 225pp., $17.95 (pbk), ISBN: 9781925272628
Harry is having a hard time of it. Several years ago, his father left him and his mother for another woman, and now Harry has become the target of the school bully. Harry’s psychologist is no help at all, and his mother is acting very strangely all of a sudden. The only person that Harry really seems to connect with is the old drifter, Jack Ellis, who camps out in the shed in the garden and tells Harry amazing stories, but Jack brings his own mysteries with him.
The thread that pulls Harry’s story together is the assignment that his English teacher, Mr Granger, sets; to write down his deepest wishes and document how they do or do not come true. Harry tells his story as an interconnected series of accounts of events, analysis of what he truly wants, and stories told to him by Jack about dogs that Jack has known. Each different element brings another layer of depth to Harry and another layer of understanding.
Readers should pick up on the link between all of the elements of the story and the stories and history of Henry Lawson, Australia’s classic author. The art lies in how those stories become a part of Harry’s own development. He’s dealing with a lot of unsettling personal mysteries – a father who left, and left behind a fear that people don’t stay; a mother who has started acting oddly, just like his father behaved right before he took off; a bully who seems to have a personal grudge against him. Each fragment of Harry’s story brings him closer to understanding those mysteries, and integrating them into his life. As each mystery begins to fall into place, his dreams and wishes come closer to reality.
The other thread that runs through Harry’s story is the deep desire for a dog of his own, to love, protect and understand him, and dogs play a part in bringing everything in his life together.
Harry’s story, with its modern presentation of online diary entries and school assignment, nevertheless mirrors a glimmer of Lawson’s own humour, bush yarn storytelling, and even a hint of eeriness. Harry Kruize, Born to Lose should appeal to boys and girls, aged eleven and up.
Teacher’s Notes are available on the Ford Street website.
Reviewed by Emily Clarke
