When Only One

When Only One is a requiem to every soul lost too young to violent causes. Raised in a rural Australian town, Sam lives a seemingly average teenage life. He worries about high school pressures and math tests, feels the heart-skipping jitters of first love, and works hard to make his family proud. But when tragedy strikes at his school, Sam’s life is irrevocably changed forever. School shootings is a topic Australians predominantly don’t relate to close to home. Rather, we tend to have a sympathetic outsider perspective towards other countries that do experience it often. It’s a topic Meg Gatland-Veness addresses here, but she also calls attention to issues such as domestic abuse, broken families, and mental health struggles in adolescents – topics widely recognised and relatable to many Australian homes.

For Sam, the year also brings the return of Emily Burrow, a childhood friend with troubled parents. The question of how safe Emily is in their hands is always present, and Gatland-Veness shows how growing up in such conditions can make someone unable to accept help, ultimately leading them down a path of loneliness and isolation from the much-needed aid that may save a life. Through these themes, Gatland-Veness asks readers to view strangers with empathy and kindness, reminds us how little we may know of others’ daily struggles, and to show immense gratitude for the life that a loving family can give.

Despite its tough subject matter, When Only One is a testament to the teens who wake up each day and face the world with courage, and the strength it takes to fight to hold onto every precious moment. For ages 13+.