Thunderwith

Lara feels completely alone after her mother's death. She moves to the bush to live with her father, but his new family make her feel like an intruder, and a bully makes school just as unwelcoming. With the appearance of the mysterious dog Thunderwith, Lara begins to feel a connection to this harsh place. Will it ever feel like home - and will her stepmother and half-siblings ever feel like family?

THUNDERWITH has won numerous awards, including the Children's Book Council Honour Book Award (1990), the American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults (1991) and was also adapted into the classic tv movie THE ECHO OF THUNDER, starring Judy Davis, who was nominated for an Emmy for her portrayal of Gladwyn.

THUNDERWITH was directly inspired by Libby's family holidays in the Wallingat rainforest: 'One night there was a huge storm and when I looked out of the window, this big black dog ran across the clearing, a very proud and wonderful-looking animal. Afterwards, when I climbed back into the bunk where I had been sleeping, there seemed to be this chanting thing going on between the thunder and the rain on the roof, "Thunderwith, Thunderwith." By morning, I had a story.'

'A powerful novel about hope and the human spirit's ability to finally win through.' - COURIER MAIL, Brisbane

'Hathorn deftly injects a sense of wonderment into this intense, very real story. Readers cannot help but be swept up on the action and emotion.' - AMERICAN PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

'A believable plot featuring a shattering climax and a satisfyingly realistic resolution.' - HORN BOOK

'... a powerful book with complex characters and a strong story.' - West Australian

'The parallels between the restorative powers of fantasy are juxtaposed against the cleansing, recuperative power of nature; the symbolic strength to be found in nature is as much to be observe in Libby Hathorn's imagery as is the concomitant power of the imagination.' - CHILDREN'S BOOK COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA

“A powerful novel about hope and the human spirit's ability to finally win through. - Courier Mail, BrisbaneHathorn deftly injects a sense of wonderment into this intense, very real story. Readers cannot help but be swept up on the action and emotion. - American Publishers WeeklyA believable plot featuring a shattering climax and a satisfyingly realistic resolution. - Horn Book... a powerful book with complex characters and a strong story. - West AustralianThe parallels between the restorative powers of fantasy are juxtaposed against the cleansing, recuperative power of nature; the symbolic strength to be found in nature is as much to be observe in Libby Hathorn's imagery as is the concomitant power of the imagination. - Children's Book Council of AustraliaA rich absorbing novel, the author sweeps readers into a tumult of emotions with her teenage protagonist... Rarely do the sensibilities of an adult character emerge so vividly in a young adult novel. Aboriginal stories fleck the narrative, and vivid descriptions of the environment ...add flavour to the book. but ultimately it is the strong characters and the universal problems of adjustment that will tug young adults into the memorable world of Thunderwith. - Quadrant...a captivating poignant story. - School Library Journal, United States...a beautifully sensitive story... Hathorn has shown an outstanding empathy for teen age readers. - Canberra Times”

A powerful novel about hope and the human spirit's ability to finally win through. - Courier Mail, Brisbane

Hathorn deftly injects a sense of wonderment into this intense, very real story. Readers cannot help but be swept up on the action and emotion. - American Publishers Weekly

A believable plot featuring a shattering climax and a satisfyingly realistic resolution. - Horn Book

... a powerful book with complex characters and a strong story. - West Australian

The parallels between the restorative powers of fantasy are juxtaposed against the cleansing, recuperative power of nature; the symbolic strength to be found in nature is as much to be observe in Libby Hathorn's imagery as is the concomitant power of the imagination. - Children's Book Council of Australia

A rich absorbing novel, the author sweeps readers into a tumult of emotions with her teenage protagonist... Rarely do the sensibilities of an adult character emerge so vividly in a young adult novel. Aboriginal stories fleck the narrative, and vivid descriptions of the environment ...add flavour to the book. but ultimately it is the strong characters and the universal problems of adjustment that will tug young adults into the memorable world of Thunderwith. - Quadrant

...a captivating poignant story. - School Library Journal, United States

...a beautifully sensitive story... Hathorn has shown an outstanding empathy for teen age readers. - Canberra Times

Libby Hathorn is an award-winning author and poet of more than eighty books for children, young adults, and adult readers. Her recent picture book No! Never!, written with her daughter Lisa Hathorn-Jarman, won the CBCA Children's Picture Book of the Year Award, Younger Readers, 2021. Translated into several languages and adapted for both stage and screen, her work has won honours in Australia, the United States, Great Britain and Holland. She is the recipient of the ABIA Pixie O'Harris Award, 2022, and the Lady Cutler Award, 2020, for distinguished services to Australian children's literature. In 2014 she won The Alice Award, a national award given to 'a woman who has made a distinguished and long term contribution to Australian literature'. In 2017 she won the Asher Award, a peace prize, for A Soldier, a Dog and a Boy.

Libby is a keen educator who has lectured part-time at Sydney University and is devoted to being an ambassador for poetry anywhere and everywhere. She has been a National Ambassador for Reading and often acts as a judge for various literary prizes, including the NSW Premier's Literary Awards.

Lara feels completely alone after her mother's death. She moves to the bush to live with her father, but his new family make her feel like an intruder, and a bully makes school just as unwelcoming. With the appearance of the mysterious dog Thunderwith, Lara begins to feel a connection to this harsh place. Will it ever feel like home - and will her stepmother and half-siblings ever feel like family? THUNDERWITH has won numerous awards, including the Children's Book Council Honour Book Award (1990), the American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults (1991) and was also adapted into the classic tv movie THE ECHO OF THUNDER, starring Judy Davis, who was nominated for an Emmy for her portrayal of Gladwyn.THUNDERWITH was directly inspired by Libby's family holidays in the Wallingat rainforest: 'One night there was a huge storm and when I looked out of the window, this big black dog ran across the clearing, a very proud and wonderful-looking animal. Afterwards, when I climbed back into the bunk where I had been sleeping, there seemed to be this chanting thing going on between the thunder and the rain on the roof, "Thunderwith, Thunderwith." By morning, I had a story.''A powerful novel about hope and the human spirit's ability to finally win through.' - COURIER MAIL, Brisbane 'Hathorn deftly injects a sense of wonderment into this intense, very real story. Readers cannot help but be swept up on the action and emotion.' - AMERICAN PUBLISHERS WEEKLY'A believable plot featuring a shattering climax and a satisfyingly realistic resolution.' - HORN BOOK'... a powerful book with complex characters and a strong story.' - West Australian'The parallels between the restorative powers of fantasy are juxtaposed against the cleansing, recuperative power of nature; the symbolic strength to be found in nature is as much to be observe in Libby Hathorn's imagery as is the concomitant power of the imagination.' - CHILDREN'S BOOK COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA

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