Watch Out for Jamie Joel

Craig Eliot is the new deputy principal in a lower rung secondary school. Jamie Joel is a girl with "a real temper and a mouth like a sewer." The short novel (139 pages) alternates between Eliot's diary and Jamie's voice. There is no consistent plot of any kind, but Dumbleton does allow the growing relationship between student and teacher to become the main thesis of the book. It is an amazingly accurate depiction of Australian school life. Jamie's character is generic enough to represent any bad girl in school who longs to turn obedient to authority. Eliot is the overworked teacher who is concerned about his rebellious students but knows clearly where his boundaries lie. He struggles between a hectic work schedule and family responsibilities. He could be any male teacher with a family.I highly recommend this book to would-be teachers.