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Out Walked Mel, Paula Boock
Longacre Press

On a Good Day, Deborah Burnside
Penguin
Reviewed by Tess Novak (Courtesy of Taranaki Daily News)

Mel, the main character in Out Walked Mel, is running away from life, not wanting to stay in school or be truly honest with herself.

Lee, the heroine in On a Good Day, would like nothing better than to settle down, straighten out her alcoholic mother and welcome into the family her absent father.

Lee and Mel have different personalities and different situations, but are in truth two girls wanting nothing more than happiness.

Out Walked Mel was Paula Boock's debut novel and "made her feel like a real writer". It was first published in 1991, but is by no means outdated. Out Walked Mel is a convincing story of an escape from school and from a past too messy to clean up. It is unpredictable and fast-moving with a stash of morals – very relevant for today's teenagers.

On a Good Day is Deborah Burnside's first novel as well, unless you count the plagiarised version of an Enid Blyton story when she was 10. The novel follows 15-year-old Lee, who is constantly moving house, whenever her Mum loses her job or breaks up with her current boyfriend. For once she would like to stay in the same place, make permanent friends and live a normal life.

Thankfully there's Evie, her elderly neighbour. Evie helps Lee with the school's wearable art competition and acts as a surrogate grandmother.

Out Walked Mel and On a Good Day are both interesting reads with satisfying endings and vibrant characters. Although they were written 13 years apart they both tackle problems that teenagers will always face, with style.