When the Ground is Hard by Malla Nunn

There are many aspects of this story that will be unfamiliar to the Australian reader. The story is set in Swaziland. There are three distinct classes in that country: the whites, the coloured and the blacks. Although there is racism in Australia, there is nothing as blatant as the situation in Nunn’s story. However, there are also things with which every teenager is faced: how to fit in, how to be popular, how to make it through school, and how to remain true to yourself. Adele’s story gives the reader some insight into another land and another culture. It should also provoke plenty of discussion in classrooms, as well as a thoroughly entertaining tale for the reader.