When Jays Fly to Barbmo
When Jays Fly to Barbmo (1968) is the debut novel for children by Australian author Margaret Balderson, illustrated by Victor Ambrus.[1] It won the Children's Book of the Year Award: Older Readers in 1969.[2]
| Author | Margaret Balderson |
|---|---|
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's fiction |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press |
Publication date | 1968 |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 202 pp |
| Preceded by | – |
| Followed by | A Dog Called George |
Plot outline
The novel is set on a remote island off the coast of Norway during World War II. It follows the story of 14-year-old Ingeborg who must survive during a long dark winter after her aunt dies and the Nazis take over the island.
Critical reception
In a review of the book in The Canberra Times the reviewer stated: "This distinguished piece of writing is a tremendously individual and quite moving story...There is some overwriting and action occasionally flags, but characterisation, originality and the breadth of the story makes it a most satisfying piece of work. Victor Ambrus has provided some delightful illustrations that in style and character are a true extension of the text."[3]
Kirkus Reviews noted: "The image evoked in the restrictively literary course of Ingeborg's sometimes faltering and always dense story suggests Anne Frank's diary written into a Bartos-Hoppner Siberian wilderness; though destined for only limited response it is an image wrought of violent silence with a rare and relentless grip."[4]