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If Not Us

If Not Us

Mark Smith

  • awardLonglisted, Young Adult, Indie Book Awards, 2022
  • He’d always accepted the mine and power station were part of Shelbourne. On still nights, the thrum of the turbines echoed down the valley and melded with the sound of the ocean until you couldn’t tell them apart.

    Hesse lives a small coastal town, where a coalmine and power station are a part of the scenery, and a part of the ever-growing problem of climate change. His mum is a member of a local environmental group campaigning to close the mine and shut down the power station. It’s a no-brainer, of course, but Hesse is more interested in surfing—and in Fenna, the new exchange student from the Netherlands.

    But when someone seems to be trying to derail the campaign, and his friends’ families face losing their jobs, Hesse begins to realise that things are complex.

    Even though he’s reluctant to step into the spotlight, with Fenna’s encouragement he decides it’s time to make a stand. Because some things are too important to leave to everyone else. And even one small, nervous voice can make a difference.

    When Hesse agrees to speak at a protest meeting he has no idea of the storm he is about to unleash.

    If Not Us is Mark Smith’s first standalone YA novel following his hugely successful Winter trilogy. It’s another great story with an engaging and relatable protagonist, as well as an impassioned plea for climate-change action that will inspire and empower readers of all ages.

    INTERVIEWS and REVIEWS

    ABC Radio Central Victoria (0:20:00)    
    Kirkus Reviews    
    Publishers Weekly     
    Readings: Must-read YA for the second half of 2021   
    Readings   
    Simon McDonald   

    Mark Smith
    About the Author

    Mark Smith lives on Victoria’s Surf Coast, where he writes novels and stories, and runs outdoor-education programs for young adults. His second novel, Wilder Country, won the 2018 Indie Book Award for Young Adults.

    Read Moreright
    Extent:
    272pp
    Format:
    Paperback
    Text publication date:
    28 September 2021
    ISBN:
    9781922330796
    AU Price:
    $19.99
    NZ Price:
    $24.00
    Reading age:
    13+
    Australian
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    Praise for Mark Smith
    andIf Not Us

    ‘Smith’s descriptions of coastal surf life are vivid and transportive…this novel might kick-start a few important conversations.’

    If Not Us has it all: gutsy characters, a good fight, bone-shaking loss, love and hope.’

    ‘A blast to read, filled with earnest romance, great drama and some brilliant descriptions of surfing…a story that recognises both the power of mass movements, as well as the importance of individual participation.’

    ‘An important and timely story about finding and using your voice as a young person in a complicated world. Moving and powerful, If Not Us is the right book for right now.’

    ‘A page-turner and a rallying cry with heart and soul.’

    ‘A tightly packed thriller of a read, the story leads itself to a wide range of eager teen readers…[An] ideal vehicle to encourage discussion and thought with secondary students and teachers.’

    ’Smith deftly captures the transition from the teen world of wide-eyed optimism and first love to the adult world of concrete responsibilities and severe repercussions.’

    ‘Powerful… A textured, thoughtful work grounded in timely and enduring themes.’

    ‘Compelling and beautifully described.’

    Other editions ofIf Not Us
    • If Not Us
      ebook
      ISBN: 9781922459251
      28 September 2021
      Buy ebook