An Author Interview About Friendship, Change And Belonging

Mara Ellison’s new novel, The Space Between Us, follows two teenagers whose friendship is tested when one family moves across the country. Set between a crowded inner-city neighbourhood and a remote coastal town, the story explores trust, identity and the brave work of staying connected when life changes direction.

In this interview with the author of a new novel about friendship, Ellison discusses why young readers deserve emotionally honest stories, how place shapes relationships and what schools, families and community organisations can discover through shared reading. Her reflections will appeal to Australian readers who value books that open meaningful conversations.

The Story Behind The Story

Ellison says the idea began with a simple observation: children often experience friendship as a major source of security, yet adults can underestimate how painful a disagreement or separation may feel. “A friendship can be a child’s first experience of belonging outside the family,” she explains. “That makes its loss, repair or transformation deeply significant.”

The central characters, Lila and Noah, are close friends until Noah’s mother accepts a job in another state. Their messages become shorter, misunderstandings build and each starts forming new friendships. Rather than presenting one perfect solution, the novel shows how relationships can change without becoming meaningless.

Ellison wanted the story to leave room for uncertainty. Lila is not always generous, and Noah does not always communicate clearly. Their mistakes create opportunities for readers to recognise their own experiences without being told exactly what to think.

Questions The Novel Explores

The author describes the friendship at the heart of the book as a relationship shaped by several difficult questions:

“These are questions children are already carrying,” Ellison says. “A novel can give them language for those feelings before they know how to discuss them directly.” She hopes readers will see that conflict does not automatically mean a friendship has failed. Sometimes it signals a need for honesty, boundaries or a new understanding.

The book also recognises that friendship is affected by circumstances beyond a child’s control, including housing changes, family separation, school transitions and financial pressure. That wider view gives the story relevance for families and youth workers supporting children through periods of instability.

Writing Young Voices With Care

Ellison spent time listening to teachers, parents and teenagers before drafting the novel. She paid attention to the way young people speak when they are relaxed, embarrassed or trying to hide hurt. The dialogue is lively, but it does not turn every emotional moment into a neat lesson.

She also considered the responsibilities involved in writing for younger audiences. Australian organisations working with children are increasingly guided by the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations, which emphasise participation, respect and the wellbeing of children. While a novel is not a policy document, Ellison believes it should still treat young readers as thoughtful people with valid perspectives.

“I never wanted the adults to arrive with all the answers,” she says. Teachers, parents and youth leaders in the story listen, ask better questions and acknowledge when they have misunderstood. That approach can help adult readers think about how they respond to children’s worries in everyday settings.

Places That Shape Belonging

Although The Space Between Us is set in Australia, its emotional world will feel familiar to readers in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or smaller regional communities. School drop-offs, weekend sport, public transport, group chats and visits to the local library all become part of the characters’ social landscape.

Ellison says she was interested in the contrast between densely populated neighbourhoods and quieter coastal areas. “Place affects how people meet, how private they can be and how quickly news travels,” she says. “A friendship feels different when you see someone every morning at the bus stop compared with when you rely on a screen.”

The novel also reflects the Australian book market, where independent bookshops, school book clubs and library programs help new fiction reach families outside major metropolitan centres. Its accessible language and discussion-friendly themes make it suitable for classroom reading, holiday programs or a relaxed family session after school.

Reading With Purpose In Community

For organisations serving children and families, the book offers more than a quiet activity. It can support conversations about empathy, communication and resilience, particularly when adults allow children to connect the story with their own lives. Resources about reading with purpose can help community groups choose books that encourage reflection and constructive action.

A facilitator might invite children to map the turning points in Lila and Noah’s relationship, then compare those moments with other stories they know. The aim is not to demand personal disclosures, but to create a safe space where different interpretations are welcomed.

Useful discussion approaches include:

These activities can work in an after-school program, a holiday reading circle or a family literacy event. They also suit mixed-age groups because younger children can respond through drawing or role-play, while older readers can discuss motivation, fairness and changing identity.

What Readers Can Carry Forward

Ellison hopes readers finish the novel with a broader idea of friendship. It is not limited to constant agreement or daily contact. A healthy relationship can include difference, disappointment and periods of change, provided people are willing to listen and respect one another.

For Australian families, the story may prompt conversations during a drive to school, over a packed-lunch preparation or after a visit to the library. For educators and youth workers, it provides a gentle way to discuss inclusion and belonging without turning the session into a lecture.

The author offers these reading prompts for groups:

Booker T. Washington Learning Center’s focus on enrichment, youth development and family support reflects the kind of community setting where a story like this can thrive. Shared reading gives children a chance to practise listening, imagine another person’s experience and recognise their own strengths.

Pick up The Space Between Us through a library, school or local bookshop, then bring its questions into a reading group or family conversation. Support community programs that help children grow through books, creativity and connection by donating or contacting Booker T. Washington Learning Center.