Teaching notes for The Pull of the Moon by Pip Smith are now available for free download from UWA Publishing. These teaching notes have been prepared by Christina Wheeler for UWA Publishing and are freely available to assist teachers in the classroom.
When a fishing boat overloaded with refugees is torn to pieces off Christmas Island, thirteen-year-old Coralie witnesses the unfolding tragedy. Having locked eyes with a frightened Iranian boy during the storm, she is unable to shift her feelings of helplessness and guilt. Haunted by agonising pleas from the sea, Coralie is desperate to do whatever she can, with or without her father’s consent.
Amidst the turmoil, the migratory patterns of the island’s wildlife continue as millions of red crabs march their way towards the ocean, turtles lay their eggs before heading for foreign waters and elusive whale sharks decide whether to make an appearance. But their survival is challenged at every turn, with invasive newcomers and environmental changes threatening their very existence.
Set against the backdrop of a community grappling with detention centres and media scrutiny, asylum seekers desperate for understanding and the complexities of human relationships, The Pull of the Moon is a thought-provoking and important story about family, death, grief and humanity. Powerfully told, its beautiful imagery and symbolic integration of nature result in a deeply moving and evocative novel.
Download the teaching notes for The Pull of the Moon.
If you have any queries or are a school looking to purchase a class set please contact UWA Publishing via email admin-uwap@uwa.edu.au or via phone 08 6488 3670.