All Our Shimmering Skies by Trent Dalton

All Our Shimmering Skies by Trent DaltonDarwin, 1942, and as Japanese bombs rain down, motherless Molly Hook, the gravedigger's daughter, turns once again to the sky for guidance. She carries a stone heart inside a duffel bag next to the map that leads to Longcoat Bob, the deep country sorcerer who put a curse on her family. By her side are the most unlikely travelling companions: Greta, a razor tongued actress, and Yukio, a fallen Japanese fighter pilot. Run, Molly, run, says the daytime

including traditional names for key places

and packs excitement into every page

the harshness of a station shanty

full of stories of invasion

It serves as a doorway into parts of Little Dog's life his mother has never known - episodes of bewilderment

a collection of his earlier studies

which she renders-in all its mess and glory-masterfully

Its regulars include Chinatsu Yukimura

The classic novel of a post-literate future

As the result of a car crash without insurance

WriterAngela Merkel

Elizabeth Day embarks on a journey to answer these questions