Rhiza Edge

Book title: Flip by Rebecca Fraser

Reviewer: Brittany Kempaiah 

Flip tells the story of Denim, a kid looking for a home, and a way to process the grief of losing his mother and the life he had with her. While it is a story about loss, and fitting in, and most beautifully, it is a story about the power of found things—one that explores the concepts of renewal in a way young people can understand.

Flip explores several subjects important for young people to consider and discuss. While the experience of grief plays a large role, it also explores the innate desire young people have to fit in while paradoxically standing out. It touches on the idea of bullying and the motivations that hide behind the confronting and unfeeling actions of bullies, as well as the moral implications of getting what you want at the expense of someone else.

There is something beautiful about Denim and the way he has allowed his grief to become a part of him—but not in a truly sad way. He is inspirational to adults and truly captures the resilience of young people and the way they seem to bounce back from the hardest things when they are given the tools to do so. In that way, Denim is the child you hope your own can be in the face of adversity—not because he has managed to simply take things in his stride, but because he has been empowered by them. It is the fact that Denim lost his mother, and subsequently the home he shared with his loveable father, that has motivated him to find things people have forgotten and give them a second life.

When Denim Davies finds things, he brings them back to life—as an adult who works with teens, I realise that for a young person, what Denim has is a superpower. Inevitably, everyone in Denim’s life is better for having known him, which is truly all we want our young people to be.

As a teacher, I love the way Rachel Fraser has fit so many big ideas into a book filled with language that my students can understand—ones that won’t leave them feeling intimidated or overwhelmed. As a reader? My only wish is to spend more time in the story. I want to know more about Denim and his op-shop finds. I want to know more about Mina and her black outfits that stand out against the white sand of the beaches surrounding her town. I want to know more about loveable Dad Phil and the quirky English teacher with fun earrings who reminded me a little too much of myself.

Flip makes us grateful for what we have by forcing us to see the resilience of a young man who doesn’t have much more than a drive to find a home, an eye for an old treasure, and a dad who loves him—and there is something deeply beautiful in that.

Loved reading about Flip? Imagine the impact of helping a child discover their first favourite book.

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Reviewer’s bio:

Brittany is a writer, poet, and English teacher from Campbelltown and one of the 2021 recipients of the West Words Emerging Writers Fellowship. Having worked as a journalist, Brittany believes that being from Western Sydney gives writers a unique perspective on life and storytelling. A passionate advocate for Western Sydney voices, she is currently working on a project telling the story of her life in Western Sydney, mental health and becoming a mother.