Customer Reviews

Melanie and the night animal

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By the end of the first chapter you nknow that Melanie and the Night Animal is a narrative of literary excellence. Ms Rubinstein has managed to descibe a little girl who has wishes and fears that will be easily identifiable to readers of 8 years and over. The main characters are thoughtfully developed throughout and the emergence of the night animal not only promotes mystery and adventure but a genuine and positive change in the main protagonists, Melanie and Jasmine.

This book may not have the intricate plot of Ms Rubinstein's other novels, Space Demons, Skymaze, Foxspell, et al, but it certainly has a style which introduces the younger reader to a novella of depth. The story is set in Sth Australia, but what does that matter? The thoughts and feelings of the characters are universal.

This is an excellent book for literature studies in the classroom as it contains elements of fine narrative writing - highly valued in Australian, New Zealand and English classrooms.