The Tricksters by Margaret Mahy

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Recommended by Alison Reid (@bongoreid)

Form and genre: coming of age novel with elements of the supernatural

Length: 272 pages

Summary: A coming-of-age mystery with a healthy dose of the supernatural. A girl on the brink of adulthood deals with bereavement, family conflict and growing up.

Age recommendation and challenging content: Would recommend for Year 9. Contains: suicide, family conflict, bereavement, sexual innuendo.

Notable reasons for recommending this book: Mahy presents many of the challenges and experiences that young people have to deal with, weaving them into a mystery that the reader can solve with the novel’s protagonist.

Other useful information: This novel touches on a range of sensitive topics that could be used to prompt sophisticated discussion.