Return of the Nimbin
by Jenny Wagner (Penguin, 1992)
Wagner plots an unusual path to conflict, channelling the heat of the Australian summer into a sweltering ennui that saps her protagonist of good decision-making. A sweet, sad story where affection is tempered by lethargy, and doing nothing—badly—has disastrous consequences.
The Nimbin
by Jenny Wagner (Thomas Nelson, 1978)
Australian middle grade story The Nimbin shows that books don’t have to follow elaborate plot arcs or contrive to manufacture character conflicts and resolution. Instead it serenely explores its scenario: Philippa’s beach holiday turns unusual when she adopts a strange little creature.