THE YEAR THE MAPS CHANGED

It’s 1999 in a sleepy town in Victoria, Australia, and Winifred’s life is about to change.

Fred, 11, has been raised by her caring police officer stepfather, Luca, and beloved maternal grandfather, Pop, since her mother died when she was 6. Now, Luca brings Anika and her 10-year-old son, Sam, into their lives. Worse, a new baby is on the way, and Sam ends up in Fred's class when their tiny school combines grades. Fred’s favorite teacher, Mr. Khouri, who emphasizes the human aspects of geography, becomes an important character as the book moves beyond the scope of the single family. The students receive a firsthand geography lesson when Australia accepts Kosovar Albanian refugees from war-torn former Yugoslavia but forces them to stay in a remote quarantine station. Some locals welcome the newcomers; others don’t. Fred becomes involved with several of the arrivals, including Nora, a pregnant woman who shares a hospital room with Anika. Nora’s character gains strength as the book unfolds and she fights for her and her unborn child’s rights to stay after the Australian government decides to send the asylum seekers back. Each of the adults and children who become supporters of the refugees are heroic in their own ways. This work will resonate as similar situations arise today and citizens take action against their governments’ refugee policies. Fred is White; the multiethnic supporting cast reflects Australia’s immigrant history.

A poignant, emotional coming-of-age story.