A Room for Ryel

A Room for Ryel by Emma Cameron (Wombat Press) PB

Review by Sandi Wooton

A finalist in the Global Read Aloud and the Sakura Medal, internationally published author, Emma Cameron explores many of the challenges blended families face while adapting to their new social conditions. Written in first-person, A Room for Ryel is narrated by the protagonist. This makes it easy to connect with the main character and understand how he is feeling throughout the story.

When Ryel and his dad move in with Lonnie and her twin boys, Harry and Darcy, Ryel thinks it’s great for his dad – he’s much happier. Ryel really doesn’t mind moving in with them either, because he has known Harry and Darcy since kindergarten, and they are all friends at school. But there are lots of new things to get used to, many changes, and there’s one major problem: there are only two bedrooms to split between three boys.

To begin with, the boys share one room and store their belongings in the spare room. Ryel soon discovers that Darcy talks and shouts in his sleep. And Harry makes strange whistling sounds. The noises keep Ryel awake most of the night. Ryel is desperate to have his own space, his own room.

 

With the Year Six sockey tournament coming up, Ryel has an idea: whoever makes it furthest in the rounds of the tournament gets their own room. When the twins agree to the challenge, Ryel has a chance to win his own room. Let the battle begin!

In a Room for Ryel, we see some of life’s comic moments. It’s a very entertaining read. I particularly enjoyed the sports competition, sockey (a combination of hockey and soccer). The boys are very competitive and the tournament playoff between them for the spare room will have readers cheering right through to the final whistle.

Eventually, Ryel discovers the importance of compromise and accepting change are key elements for thriving within his new family environment.

Highly recommended for children aged 10 to14.

Title: A Room for Ryel
Author: Emma Cameron
Publisher: Wombat Books, $14.99
Publication Date: 6 March 2024
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 978176111358
For ages: 11 – 14
Type: Middle Grade Fiction