Hayley Wells - Adolescent Novel: Tomorrow When The War Began

Tomorrow When The War Began

By John Marsden

SUMMARY:
Published in 1993, Tomorrow When The War Began is one of the most popular adolescent novels. John Marsden, Australian author, presents a series of entertainnig and thrilling novels. Different from other adolescent novels, Marsden creates the narrator who goes by the name of Ellie (different because the narrator is usually seen as a boy). The novel tells the story of country teenagers who go on a camping trip only to come home and find that their little town has been invaded by another country. Marsden continually keeps the reader engaged with describing feelings, what places look like and what's happening as well as surprising the reader with action packed events.


In the year 2010, the first book was made into a movie with Caitlin Stasey (former Neighbours  soapie star) starring as Ellie along with other well-known actors such as Lincoln Lewis. Comparing the book to the movie, the book (as expected) contained more detail, information and events than the movie. But the movie is still fantastic making viewers feel and see the images that came to mind when they read the book.


USE IN THE CLASS:
Tomorrow When The War Began is one that can be used with upper primary and middle year students as this is the age the book is targeted towards. The book can be used within classrooms in many ways including:
- Role play
- Looking at character development
- Exploring and investigating the decision of the setting, plot and overall structure

LINKS WITH ACARA:
Tomorrow When The War Began can be used in a year 7 class to explore and investigate the author's decision of the setting, plot and overall structure as it relates to the key idea, "Recognise and analyse the ways that characterisation, events and settings are combined in narratives, and discuss the purposes and appeal of different approaches," as stated by ACARA (2012), within the strand Literature and sub-strand Examining Literature.