Matty Forever

Matty #1

by Elizabeth Fensham

Bill and Matty are neighbours. And best friends. Together they share their deepest, darkest secrets and lean on each other when things aren't right at home.

Bill is missing his father and having a hard time at his new school. And Matty is realising that her family is not quite the same as everyone else's.

But when new girl Isabella decides she wants Bill all to herself, Bill and Matty discover what true friendship means.

Shortlisted for the Australian CBCA Book of the Year for Younger Readers 2010.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Friendship

137 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Elizabeth Fensham is an Australian writer and school teacher. She grew up in Sydney and now lives in Victoria's Dandenong Ranges. Her first novel, Helicopter Man, won the Australian Children's Book Council's Book of the Year for Younger Readers in 2006. Miss McAllister's Ghost achieved a CBCA Notable Award in 2009. Her third novel, Goodbye Jamie Boyd, which deals with the sensitive issue of a teenager's schizophrenia, was shortlisted for the Bologna Book Fair's White Raven Award in 2009.

Reviews

[Eleanor Bull · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely story about friendship, values and fitting in. It also has a massage, that being the grass isn’t always greener. Bill and Matty have fun and frolics and enjoy the freedom of Matty’s bohemian family life. I just wish they hadn’t kissed at the end...that spoilt it a bit for me because it changed their friendship into something else. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

[Sophalopha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I heard my heart break

[Monkey Lien-Brant · Rating 5 out of 5]

i loved the part at the end where Bill asked Mat if he could kiss her.

[Anna Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful story of friendship and family. This lovely book introduces some pretty heavy themes of poverty vs wealth and domestic violence, but in a gentle, exploratory manner.

[𝑁𝑖𝑒𝑠ℎ𝑎 𝐵𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑑&#x1d · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a pretty good book but does get pretty boring and can be pretty predictable. It was pretty obvious what Isabelle’s part in the story would be for. Although is was a pretty good book.

[Rowan · Rating 2 out of 5]

this was fine, I'm just not the audience for this one, unfortunately. pretty predictable, but i like matty's family.

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love it omg it is awsome. now im giving spoilers. i am very anoyed with the girl with red hair i forgot her name anyway shouldnt she know he is taken he is friends with matty BACK OFF. so any way matty is sooooo happy and cute i can not believe how gorgous she is. and bill he is alright when you think of him for awhile he is kind of boring i mean i know his is dad isnt with him but come on cant you be more like matty but i apsoulutely love it when he first meet matty she is walking on the street with a priate suit on its cute. and saying i must not go to the shop (they are not allowed there because it goes past the school)sooo he sat there waiting for she came back and bill thought she was awsome hey lets refraise that he thinks he is awsome come on bill curly black hair small funny what kind of boy is that just because she is brave hey girls can be brave. so she came back with lollys all in her mouth. the next day he was trying to get him out but no.but the next day he comes out that is when bill finds out it is a girl (finally)she says hi bill he goes how do you know my name i just do i know lots about you (its not hard to because he is boring). anyway she says her name is mat.she invites him in and lets admit it she has a better family its awsome. anyway i do not want to spoil it to much for you but remeber what i said it is awsome and i do love matty and bill he is still awsome because he is friends with matty. but i dont like red head or is it blonde head do not know he only likes her because she is rich ok i better stop writing before saying to much about her and spoil to much ok thanks for reading. =)

[Barbara Philip]

Bill and Matty are neighbours. And best friends. Together they share their deepest, darkest secrets and lean on each other when things aren't right at home.

Bill is missing his father and having a hard time at his new school. And Matty is realising that her family is not quite the same as everyone else's.

But when new girl Isabella decides she wants Bill all to herself, Bill and Matty discover what true friendship means.

[Elise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not recommend this book enough! It is such a beautiful story, simple but full of incredible depth. The Author of this book was my English teacher for all of secondary school, and was one of the main people that influenced my now fetish love for books. Enjoy this read, a definite for everyone.

[Findlay Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is about two young kids that are best friends and live nextdoor to eachother. they love to share there deppest and darkest secrets with eachother. they dont care what people think of them they just play and dress up and do what they want to do.

Findlay Wood

[Petra · Rating 5 out of 5]

with a friend like matty nothing else matters

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great little book for 9-10 year olds. I like the theme of valuing diversity, and the message that Bill must learn about true friendship is deftly handled so that it's not didactic.

[Loren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think that this book was different to many other books i have read. I loved it and it was one of those books that you HAD to keep going... And it had a great ending!

[Palak · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is the book of BFF who ever is a BFF would love it.

[Emma Human · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written book about two friends on of my favourite childhood books. Good for kids aged 8 to 12.

[bronte · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think that this was a good book and it would be good for grades 5-7.

[Summer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would give this book 3.5 stars if I could. My daughter was reading this for school so I read it with her. It is a cute story with a good message.

[Kerri Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet cross cultural story of neighbourhood friends feeling their way in their youth whilst dealing with the prejudices of those around them.

[Wax · Rating 5 out of 5]

Need to read let me read.