QUEENIE IN SEVEN MOVES BY ZANI LOUISE

Queenie and her mum have a big problem. The house they’ve been living in for years has been sold and they need to find somewhere else to rent. The trouble is it’s the middle of the Pandemic and rental properties are scarce. Queenie and her mum start an odyssey that will take them on a journey that is far more than just moving house.

 Queenie loves music and plays her father’s acoustic guitar but she lacks the confidence she needs to perform. When the time comes to perform in the end of year concert, Queenie backs out when she realises her old friend Sparrow is singing the same song. No matter what people say to encourage her, she backs out.

 Queenie and her mum have always been a team. Ever since her father died, when she was very young, they have done things together. But since they started looking for somewhere to live things between them have changed and Queenie hasn’t quite figured out why. In one of their stays Queenie gets to know classmate Dory a bit better. He’s a chess whiz but also knows how to record her songs and up load them to Spotify. When she has to move on, Queenie struggles with the ever-increasing hopelessness of trying to find somewhere to live. Each place they go to is different from the last and each time Queenie realises she must step up and “put on her big girl pants”.

 Will she and her mum ever find a place to live? And will Queenie ever get the courage to perform in front of more than three people? How will she manage her renewed friendship with her singing rival Sparrow? All these things, as well as her mum’s new relationship, leave Queenie searching deep within herself.

 Zanni Louis has given us a cleverly constructed insight into the lives of others. She shared Queenie’s journey herself and sheds a light on an element of the Pandemic that has been quietly brushed under the rug. The growing self-esteem Queenie evolves over the course of the story, helps her realise that when awful things happen they don’t always end as badly as imagined. This is a book about resilience, family, friendships and self-belief. Readers will enjoy this modern-day tale of urban adventure and quiet heroism.

For Ages: 10 - 13 years

Number of Pages: 240

Published: February 2023

Themes: Family, friendships, resilience, homelessness and self-esteem

Purchase here: https://www.walkerbooks.com.au/book/9781760655662/