The Bamboo Flute

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

Twelve-year-old Paul is conscious of the troubled spirits of the people about him, especially his father. Paul is a solitary boy, interested in music. He has few friends because he lives on a farm. The town kids and the teacher ignore him or tease him. One day Paul encounters a tramp, Eric the Red, camped on the farm. Eric shows him how to make a flute from bamboo. Paul's mother is sympathetic, but Paul knows that he can't tell his father what he's doing. His teacher later confiscates the flute before he can finish it, but he sets out to make another, in secret. Meanwhile, the district is on the lookout for Eric the Red, accusing him of sheep stealing. Will Paul have the courage to stand up for him, revealing his link with Eric First published in 1992, THE BAMBOO FLUTE was Garry Disher's first novel for children. It is an evocative story of hardship, hope, respect and recognition set during the Depression.

Reviews

'From its exquisite opening line to the moving finale, this elegantly delineated tale never strikes a false note. Disher is a gifted writer. [An] evocative, emotionally charged coming-of-age story. The only downside to this book is its brevity. Like a particularly savoury appetizer, it simply whets the reader's appetite for more.' Publisher's Weekly, US

Author Bio

Garry Disher is one of Australia's best-known authors. He worked as a writing lecturer between the years 1980 and 1988, before becoming a full-time writer. He has published over forty books, including The Divine Wind (shortlisted for the 1999 CBC Book of the Year for Older Readers), The Apostle Bird, From Your Friend, Louis Deane (a CBC Notable Book) and Moondyne Kate.