Tenderfoot

SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2026 INDIE BOOK AWARD FOR FICTION
SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2026 ABIA LITERARY FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR
SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2026 ABA ADULT FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR

'Tenderfoot is magnificent. Deeply moving. Beautiful. Powerful' TRENT DALTON

'This is a writer at the top of her game, telling a story that only she can tell' ABC ONLINE, BEST BOOKS OF 2025

'Extraordinary . . . the makings of an Australian classic' THE GUARDIAN

Luminous, aching, exhilarating - a coming-of-age novel like no other, from the bestselling, award-winning author of Addition.

Wait for the boxes to open, wait for the race to begin. Wait, and your greyhound will cease to be the dog you know and become an entirely different kind of animal.

Brisbane, 1975: Andie Tanner's world is small but whole. Her mum is complicated, but she adores her dad and the kennel of racing greyhounds that live under their house. Andie is a serious girl with big plans: finish school with her friends, then apprentice to her father so she can become a greyhound trainer, with dogs of her very own.

But real life rarely goes to plan, and the world is bigger and more complicated than Andie could imagine. When she loses everything she cares about - her family, her friends, the dogs - it's up to Andie to reclaim her future. But she'll need all her wits to survive this new reality of secrets, half-truths and addiction.

'Magnificent . . . One of my favourite books of the year' WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN

'Incredible . . . It kept me up all night' THE AGE

'Tenderfoot is a breath of fresh air in Australian literature, for its compassion, its wisdom and its humour' EMILY BITTO

'The book is gently gripping. It's hard to put down' THE AUSTRALIAN WOMEN'S WEEKLY

'Compelling and heartwarming with a cast of unforgettable characters' INGA SIMPSON

'A feat of delicate foreshadowing and reflection. Tenderfoot is about the clarity of hindsight, the necessity of forgiveness' THE CONVERSATION

'A total triumph' CAROLINE OVERINGTON