How to Repaint a Life

A powerful prose novel from one of Australia's most awarded authors.Isaac is running from his old life when he steps off the bus in a small town.He doesn't plan on sticking around and has nowhere to stay, but a local cafe owner's kindness offers him a chance to change his story.Then Isaac meets Sophie and learns he's not the only one wanting to repaint his life.As he did so masterfully with The Simple Gift, Steven Herrick delves into the universal themes of rising above the past and taking control of your future.

How to Repaint a Life is the latest offering from Steven Herrick, author of award-winning young adult titles including The Simple Gift and The Bogan Mondrian. This is gritty, heartbreaking prose that delves into topics such as homelessness, domestic violence and #MeToo, and is best suited to mature teenage readers. However, the narrative is written with sensitivity and offers plenty of hope, especially in the relief that comes with finding genuine connections and a community. We meet Isaac as he makes the decision to run away from his old life. When he arrives in a small town, a local cafe owner offers him a chance to start anew. Meanwhile, Sophie is bored of high school and sick of the toxic masculinity of her classmates. She hasn't felt like she belonged since her best friend left their small town; however, she is also conflicted about heading to the city to study art. Unexpectedly, there are a few chapters from Sophie's father's point of view, which add worthwhile adult insight to the story. When Isaac and Sophie meet, they discover together that it might be possible to 'repaint' their lives. In this book Herrick explores the idea of moving on from the past and forging your own path. Like Herrick's previous novels, this latest work provides an excellent story for developing empathy in teen readers, showing them what it's like to walk in the shoes of someone who hasn't been dealt an easy hand. How to Repaint a Life is a moving and unflinching story of young people taking control of their future. Karys McEwen is the library manager at Prahran and Richmond High School and the president of the CBCA VIC Branch.

Steven Herrick is the author of twenty-six books for children and young adults. His books have twice won the New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards and have been shortlisted for the Children's Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Awards on nine occasions. He is widely recognised as a pioneer of the verse-novel genre for young adults. He is also the author of eight travel books. He spends nine months of the year visiting schools in Australia and three months on his bicycle, travelling around, pedalling slowly and thinking about his next book.

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