Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Reading Time
    • Home
    • Reviews
      • Highly Recommended
      • CBCA Short Listed
      • Early Childhood Books
      • Younger Readers
      • Intermediate Readers
      • Older Readers
      • ANZAC books
      • Great Read Alouds
      • Information Books
      • LGBTQIA+
      • Picture Books
      • Professional Development
    • Interviews
    • Suggestions
    • News
    • Meet The Review Team
    • Contact Us
    Reading Time
    You are at:Home»Reviews»Information Books»Unmasked (Young Adult Edition)

    Unmasked (Young Adult Edition)

    0
    By Admin on July 13, 2018 Information Books

    Turia Pitt and Bryce Corbett Unmasked (Young Adult Edition), Random House Australia, 30 April 2018 274pp., $17.99 (pbk) ISBN 9780143790396

    While a large percentage of the Australian adult population will be familiar with Turia Pitt’s remarkable story of survival after being caught in a wildfire during an ultra-marathon in the Kimberley in 2011, many teenagers may not. This YA version of her autobiography, also co-written with Bryce Corbett, tells of her amazing recovery and the life lessons she knew before the accident and those she has learnt since.

    While the book starts with the fire, Turia does describe her upbringing. Born in Tahiti to a Tahitian mother and Australian father, Turia came to Australia aged two. After six years in Sydney, the family moved to Ulladulla, where Turia grew up and where she still lives. This region, with its beautiful environment and proximity to the ocean, has been vital to Turia’s recovery and well-being.

    There are several strengths to this book. Apart from its easy-going, easy-to-read and engaging conversational tone, insights are provided by the most important people in Turia’s life. Her husband, mother, father, parents-in-law and good friends all have sections where they talk about her and the effects the accident had on them and their relationships with Turia. The photo section in the middle of the book contains pictures of them all.

    Above all, Turia’s grit and determination to recover from this, and prove the doctors wrong with what she could achieve, are inspiring. After all, this is a person who not only trained for an ultra-marathon in the desert but has, since the fire, trekked the Kokoda Track, competed in two more ultra-marathons including the Kona in Hawaii and raised a lot of money for the charity Interplast. Her attempt to climb to Everest Base Camp had to be abandoned when she discovered she was pregnant.

    Turia outlines her philosophy for living life to the full, the lessons she has learnt and what is truly important. She encourages teenagers to have a similar mindset where their opinions of themselves are not dictated by social media and peer pressure. This is an optimistic, positive, feel-good book with great messages for the reader. Recommended.

    Reviewed by Lynne Babbage

    Related Posts

    Walking in Gagudju Country: Exploring the Monsoon Forest

    Still Alive: Notes from Australia’s Immigration Detention System

    Grow

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    • Themes
    • Curriculum
    Action adventure Airplanes Alphabet Anxiety autism Bullying CBCA Awards Coming of age Dystopian emotions family fantasy friendship grief Historical humour magic Mystery Post apocalyptic Readers Cup reluctant readers school Sci-Fi series of books siblings Sport Starting school Teacher Notes
    ANZAC Australian animals Australian history Biography Culture & Diversity Disabilities First Nations Geography health Humanities mental health Poetry Reconciliation resilience Science STEM Stolen Generation sustainability Wordless books



    Recent Comments
    • Cherie on Elephant Island
    • Patricia Tilton on Freddy the Not-Teddy
    • Jilanne Hoffmann on Freddy the Not-Teddy
    • Penelope Pratley on The Secret of Sapling Green
    • Emily Flint on Walk of the Whales
    Recent Posts
    • The Bravest Word
    • The Ghost Locket
    • The Ghost Locket
    • Enough Love?
    • Wonderful Shoes
    Recent Comments
    • Cherie on Elephant Island
    • Patricia Tilton on Freddy the Not-Teddy
    • Jilanne Hoffmann on Freddy the Not-Teddy
    • Penelope Pratley on The Secret of Sapling Green
    • Emily Flint on Walk of the Whales
    © Copyright 2021 The Children’s Book Council of Australia - All rights reserved

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    Posting....