Jackie French 
Rose for the Anzac Boys 

The ‘War to end all Wars’, as seen through the eyes of three young women War is being fought on a horrific scale in the trenches of France, but it might as well be a world away from sixteen-year-old New Zealander Midge Macpherson, at school in England learning to be a young lady. But the war is coming closer: Midge’s brothers are in the army, and her twin, Tim, is listed as ‘missing’ in the devastating defeat of the Anzac forces at Gallipoli . Desperate to do their bit – and avoid the boredom of school and the restrictions of Society – Midge and her friends Ethel and Anne start a canteen in France, caring for the endless flow of wounded soldiers returning from the front. Midge, recruited by the over-stretched ambulance service, is thrust into carnage and scenes of courage she could never have imagined. And when the war is over, all three girls – and their Anzac boys – discover that even going ‘home’ can be both strange and wonderful. Exhaustively researched but written with the lightest of touches, this is Jackie French at her very best.AWARDSShortlisted – 2009 ABIA Awards Honour Book – 2009 CBCA Book of the Year Awards (Younger Readers)PRAISE’Highly recommended for teenage to adult readers’ – Readings’A book of many voices. Poignant, graphic and compulsive fiction about women who volunteered during WWI’ – Sunday Age’Beautifully written. An important story. The use of a sixteen year old protagonist will make the story more real and more confronting for teen readers’ – Aussie Reviews’A well-researched story about the invaluable support women provided during the war. Recommended for secondary school-aged children’ – Australian Bookseller and Publisher’… rousing stuff, and it hasn’t been watered down. French doesn’t shy away from the nightmarish conditions of trench warfare. Highly readable, scrupulous in its history … an ideal text for schools’ – Sydney Morning Herald ‘… entertaining and uplifting’ – Sun-Guardian Blacktown ‘This is a moving story about the love, kindness and humanity of the people involved in the bloodshed and carnage of World War I’ – Launceston Examiner’Jackie has woven her usual magic with her deft light touch and humour in this gripping story’ – Toowoomba Chronicle ‘A warm tribute to extraordinary women in extraordinary times. We must remember them’ – Woman’s Day’Younger readers will enjoy this story about the soldiers of World War I and the volunteers who supported them’ – Brisbane News ‘Comprehensively researched and beautifully written’ – South Coast Register