Michelle Cooper - Fiction Writer for Young Adults

The FitzOsbornes in Exile

The Montmaray Journals: Book Two

I lifted my Spode teacup and was suddenly convinced that I was dreaming. What other explanation could there be for me sitting here, having tea with a viscount in an elegant drawing room?

Forced to leave their island kingdom, Sophie FitzOsborne and her eccentric family take shelter in England. Sophie's dreams of making her debut in shimmering ballgowns are finally coming true, but how can she enjoy her new life when they have all lost so much?

Aunt Charlotte is ruthless in her quest to see Sophie and Veronica married off by the end of the Season, Toby is as charming and lazy as ever, Henry is driving her governess to the brink of madness, and the battle of wills between Simon and Veronica continues. Can Sophie keep her family together, when everything seems to be falling apart?

An enticing glimpse into high society, the cut and thrust of politics as nations scramble to avert world war, and the hidden depths of a family in exile, struggling to find their place in the world.

★ Shortlisted for the 2010 Western Australian Premier's Young Adult Book Award
★ Shortlisted for the 2011 Ethel Turner Prize for Young People's Literature (NSW Premier's Literary Awards)
★ Longlisted for the 2011 Gold Inky Teenage Choice Awards
★ Notable Book for Older Readers in the 2011 Children's Book Council of Australia awards

"Multilayered and engrossing, Cooper's tale alternates between frothy fun and heartbreaking seriousness with utter mastery."

Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Fans of the first book of The Montmaray Journals: A Brief History of Montmaray will be pleased to know Sophie is back, with her entertaining and personal journal entries . . . her growth from a girl into a woman makes her a most endearing character to journey with in The Montmaray Journals."

Soo Lee Tan, Viewpoint

"Highly recommended . . . This is a delightful mixture of fact and fiction that I found engrossing in its depiction of high society and a world approaching war. It will have special appeal for those who like a well-written, meticulously researched and entertaining story."

Pat Pledger, Read Plus

A Brief History of Montmaray

The Montmaray Journals: Book One

"Bittersweet and delectable, this book deserves to be an instant classic. Sophie is one of the most charming narrators since I Capture The Castle." Kate Forsyth

I need to write down what has just happened. I need to set down the truth. If I write lies or if I write nothing at all, this journal is worthless. I must do this, in case anything happens.

All right. This is what happened tonight, every single terrible thing that I can remember . . .

Sophie FitzOsborne lives in a crumbling castle in the tiny island kingdom of Montmaray, along with her tomboy younger sister Henry, her beautiful, intellectual cousin Veronica, and Veronica's father, the completely mad King John.
When Sophie receives a leather-bound journal for her sixteenth birthday, she decides to write about her day-to-day life on the island. But it is 1936 and the world is in turmoil. Does the arrival of two strangers threaten everything that Sophie holds dear?

From Sophie's charming and lively observations to a nailbiting, unputdownable ending, this is a book to be treasured.

★ Awarded the 2009 Ethel Turner Prize for Young People's Literature (NSW Premier's Literary Awards)
★ Shortlisted for the 2008 Gold Inky Teenage Choice Award
★ Recommended Book in the 2009 Parents' Choice Book Award
★ Listed in the American Library Association's 2010 Best Books for Young Adults

"Once in a while, a special book will cross our paths . . . Cooper has created one of the most interesting and likeable characters I have come across in a long time . . . a pleasing narrative that readers will enthusiastically connect with . . . a joyful reading experience."

Soo Lee Tan, Viewpoint

"The ending was amazing, I couldn't put it down! I thought it was really cleverly planned with lots of unexpected extra twists. I loved all the characters, Sophia so strong, Veronica so opinionated and brave, and Henry so determined."

Brigitte, age 12, Random House Book Buddies Club

"Michelle Cooper draws on history, literature, politics, religion and mythology, as well as the smaller moments of a life, and delivers a story that has more facets than a well-cut diamond. Adventure, intrigue, romance, the supernatural - it's all here, bound together by a ripping plot."

Frances Atkinson, The Sunday Age

The Rage of Sheep

A hilarious story about girls, gossip, growing up and God.

I'd grown up being told that if I found myself tempted to behave in an unkind way, I just had to ask myself, 'What would Jesus do?' And then do that.

Something hard pinged off the back of my seat and bounced down the aisle.

So the question was, what would Jesus do if the Jameson sisters started chucking Jaffas at his head?

It is 1984 and fifteen-year-old Hester Jones is not having a good year. Her best friend has moved away and even though Natalie and Lynda are allowing her to hang out with them, Hester's struggling to keep up with her cool new friends. Plus, she has the most embarrassing dad in the world, who's never, ever going to let her go to the birthday bash Natalie's planning. Worst of all, her Science teacher's making her work on a project about evolution with that weird Joshua Mason . . .
When everything goes wrong, and the world stops making sense, Hester has to decide: is it better to be a sheep, or a goat?

"This book made me laugh, cry and finish reading with a smile on my face . . . If you enjoy reading books that delve into social issues and yet can still resurface without bogging themselves down, this would be the one for you . . . It's hard to put this book down once you've begun."

pandapjays, age 17, insideadog.com.au

"Cooper's talent lies in setting up a fairly familiar scenario, and then casually shattering all her readers' expectations. It's cleverly done, and the 1980s setting adds to the book's charm."

Ronni Phillips, The Canberra Times

"This is a great read for teenagers, who would fully appreciate the dramas that play out in the classroom and school yard between friends."

Joyce Michael, Fiction Focus