Dear Uso

'Dear Uso' is a beautiful, powerful novel that will grab you by the heart and twist. It begins with a family tragedy and then jumps back in time to explore the decisions that led to this event. Malaeulu draws us into the whānau and shows us which characters have strong relationships with others, which have secrets from whom, and why. We see in this family love, pride, and fear.

The main character, Mika, is trying to balance school, rugby, church, work, Polyfest, and family commitments. We see Mika at school with his friends, as well as dealing with bullies from school and church. All the while, he struggles to understand why his brother has disappeared. Mika’s family, who in the book identify simply as “islanders”, feel the support and the pressures of church, as well as the expectations of what is right in both Pasifika and Palagi cultures, while Mika's parents both have full-time jobs. The family tries to pull together to get through difficult times, but they aren’t all pulling in the same direction.

During the reading of 'Dear Uso', there are some simple wellbeing tips that some readers might pick up on their own. It certainly could be a teaching point. However, at the back of the book, there is a page of helplines and websites that are available to help with any of the issues raised in the book. In addition, the book includes questions which are suitable for Levels 1, 2 or 3 of NCEA.

This book contains implicit themes of suicide, family violence, and sexual violence.