Sarah Anna James
Writer
Teachers’ Guide
Luka is a story about a fourteen year old boy who’s life is turned upside down by tragedy. It is a story about men and boys, how they cope with grief and anger when the emotional glue of women is no longer there to support them. It is about pulling the pieces back together when it seems there are no pieces left to find. Ultimately, it’s about acceptance, forgiveness, and the realisation that life isn’t always about getting the answers you think you need.
Themes that teachers might like to discuss in the classroom:
grief and loss
how boys and men cope with grief
family dynamics eg. jealousy, sibling rivalry, sibling roles - good kid, trouble maker, favourite
emotional landscape of boys and men
can boys and men be soft and caring or do they have to tough and rough
Teacher Review
As a Head of Department, I am always on the lookout for texts that will engage young adult readers in our schools. Luka by Sarah Anna James is a powerful young adult novel that supports the aims of the Australian Curriculum, especially in the learning area of English at the Year 8–9 juncture. Through its exploration of grief, resilience, and family dynamics, the novel enables students to analyse how authors use narrative voice, characterisation, and language choices to represent personal and social issues (AC9E9LE02, AC9E9LE04). Its portrayal of the partitionists’ experiences encourages students to respond to the ways texts influence emotions and ideas (AC9E9LE03), while also providing opportunities for them to create their own imaginative, analytical, and reflective texts (AC9E9LY06). I’ve found that the novel’s accessible writing style and themes resonate with students, not just supporting curriculum goals but also allowing me to offer creative writing workshops where Sarah Anna uses the novel as a grounding foundation for fostering writing in our young people.
Classroom Resources
In order to contextualise Luka - an introductory lesson:
Text structures and language features:
School Purchases
For review copy and school orders please contact author at sarahannajameswriter@gmail.com