Lara's parents are divorced and she can hardly remember her father. But when her mother dies, Lara has to leave her familiar life behind and join her father and his new family in the Australian outback. Her stepmother is brusque and rejecting, making no attempt to welcome Lara, and the children take their cues from her. How can Lara find love and acceptance in this harsh place? Lara feels desperately lonely and grieves for her mother and the life they had together.

In a summer of raging storms, Lara must fight the storm within herself. On a long, solitary walk one day, almost as if she is meant to receive this consolation, Lara encounters a strange and beautiful dog. She names it Thunderwith and , through this unexpected friendship, she finds the strength to face her new life and find the way to happiness...

There are 320 pages in this book. This book was published 1999 by Hachette Children's Group .

Libby Hathorn is one of Australia's most highly regarded writers for children and has also been published extensively overseas. Among other awards, she won the inaugural NSW Children's Week Medal for literature in 1992. For more information, free writing tips and teaching resources, go to www. libbyhathorn. com.