ZADIE MA AND THE DOG WHO CHASED THE MOON BY GABRIELLE WANG

It’s 1955 and Zadie Ma and her little brother Teddy live above the milk bar her parents own in Melbourne. Her mother works long hours since Zadie’s dad came back from World War II confused and not himself. She is strict and often angry with her. Zadie helps at the milk bar and looks after Teddy, but she is lonely. At school, Bella is a sort of friend, but is mainly the other kid in the class that is bullied because she has a non-Anglo background.

When she has spare time, Zadie loves writing stories, and on her 11th birthday, she discovers she has a “superpower”. Sometimes, not always, but sometimes, her stories come true. And as Zadie dreams of having a dog, she writes a story about Jupiter, who is maltreated and is saved by a girl just like her. That way she will have someone who loves her unconditionally and who she can love back. As she waits for her story to unfold, Zadie is delighted to see a new family move next door. Sparrow is a breath of fresh air and becomes the most popular kid at school. Together they will explore the neighbourhood and have adventures Zadie can write about. Sparrow has no fear and can handle any situation with confidence, something Zadie would love to have too.

Current Australian Children’s Laureate 2022-23, Gabrielle Wang has written a wonderful book that has so many levels. During her tenure as Children’s Laureate, she would like to explore topics such as imagination, cultural diversity, visual literacy and reading aloud. And here, the narrative is interspaced with Zadie’s short stories, all of which cover such themes as listening to someone, no matter how young or small, accepting change, friendship and more. It also has beautiful illustrations by the author depicting Zadie and Teddy as well as the characters in the short stories. There are endless discussions to have with young readers about diversity relating to our history, prejudice, gender stereotypes and how, sometimes, families need to catch their breath and re-evaluate their situation, and in doing so, they may discover they have plenty to be thankful for.

This gentle tale gives insights into how families function, bullying and loyalty. Younger Middle Grade readers will fall in love with Zadie Ma who navigates she way through a sometimes-hostile world but finds true friendship and joy in the people closest to her.

For Ages: 9 - 12 years

Number of Pages: 272

Published: May 2022 Puffin

Themes: Racism, family, friendship, gender stereo types