Books by Zillah Bethell
The Shark Caller
by Zillah Bethell
A wonderful story set in Papua New Guinea, peppered with Pidgin English (glossary included). Blue Wing is an orphan in the care of Siringen, an old shark caller. When an American researcher arrives in the village, Blue Wing is assigned to look after his twelve year old daughter and a deep friendship gradually develops. But The Shark Caller is more than a friendship story. It is a story of hunting for treasure. It is also a story of coping with loss, the attraction of revenge, and being aware that every moment is of value. With elders close to nature and a village head who has lost his head to jukeboxes and mobile phones, there is also the question of how communities balance tradition and development. As if that were not enough, just before the end there is a gigantic twist.
Ages 8-12
