Marsh and Me

Marsh and Me is a story about friendship and trust and learning to believe in yourself and what makes you special. Martine Murray’s beautifully rounded characters, with all their self-doubts, yearnings and wise insights, will delight readers young and old.

There’s a hill out the back of Joey’s house. Hardly anyone goes there—it’s not a beautiful place, just a covered-over old rubbish tip. But Joey likes it up there. It’s his hill—somewhere he likes to go to wonder about life. He longs to be the best at something, to be a famous astronaut, or mountain climber, to stand out. 

When Joey discovers a tree house in an old peppercorn tree on the hill, he is annoyed that someone has invaded his special place. But he is also curious about who the intruder could be. But making contact isn’t easy. The tree-house girl is wild and hostile and full of secrets—Joey needs to work out a way to win her over. And as he does, he finds a way to shine.

Martine Murray was born in Melbourne, and now lives in Castlemaine. Her most recent novel, Molly and Pim and the Millions of Stars, was shortlisted for the 2016 CBCA Award for Younger Readers.

‘This is a story of an unlikely friendship, a common theme in children’s books, but one that feels refreshing due to how nice these children are. Martine Murray captures sadness without wallowing in it...Joey and Marsh’s story is both reassuring and encouraging for children aged eight and up.’ Books+Publishing