SOLVED. WWI/follows a young man who signs up to fight from a small Queensland town, to the trenches in France. Studied in South Australian high school in 1996-97, not sure if it was in the syllabus or teachers choice. [s]

[Cynthia]

It was a book in 2 distinct parts and followed a young man from a small country town in Queensland who volunteered for war and ends up in the trenches in France. The first part sees the introverted young man (possibly late teen) strike up a friendship with an older female artist neighbour. It focuses heavily on the theme of birds and calm. The young man signs up for the war and the second part is distinctive in tone; as the story shifts to the war the theme changes to rats and mud and the horror of life in the trenches. It's not a long book, i read it in a day.

[Adele]

Is it Fly Away Peter

[Cynthia]

Adele, thank you so much!! This book has stayed with me for over 20 years and forgetting the title and author was disgraceful of me! I'll be buying this asap!!

[Cynthia]

Fyi - I'll move this to Solved once I get access to a desktop

[Adele]

Glad it was the right one!