Posse

by Kate Welshman

Random House. Australian, Young Adult. Paperback rrp $18.95

Most teenage girls have either been through or know someone that has had the experiences of Amy and her friends.

Amy and her “posse” are at their Year 11 Methodist private girl’s school camp. The weather is hot, and the camp is having problems. The deputy head-mistress has been sent to Hospital with heatstroke. Two girls have also gone to the hospital, one after being bitten by a spider and the other with a bad itch. Most of the girls are too hot to do anything except loll about in the camp lake.

Clare and Amy are best friends. Clare is the attention seeker but Amy is the leader. When Bevan, one of the camp’s counsellors, pays particular attention to Amy, Clare is not impressed. Along with the heat of the summer, the sizzling fireworks of jealousy are starting to boil over.

One night can last a very long time. And when it comes to an end, Amy will find out just how far the Posse girls will go to save their own skin.

When new day dawns, Clare and Amy must decide whether to tell the truth about what happened overnight and risk losing everything, including their family and friendship or whether to lie and keep quiet to save their reputations and their education.

Posse is about friendship and trust, and what happens when jealousy drives a wedge in between. This book is highly recommended to older teenagers and would make a great resource for class discussions on the decisions that we make and the consequences of each possible choice.