Late last year I heard Suzy Zail speak at a school libraries conference in Melbourne and was moved by her gentle spirit and big heart. I didn’t know until then that she had written "I Am Change" so when I arrived home I went searching for it. The other novels I’ve read that Suzy has written have centred around the holocaust, so reading one set in Uganda was a big change.

Lilian’s story was heartbreaking as well as inspirational. The things she had to endure because she was a girl, the way she was treated and her desperate quest for an education broke my heart. At times the story was quite harrowing with child marriages, rape, female circumcision, and domestic violence and I felt Lilian’s pain as she faced situations that left her feeling hopeless.

I loved Lilian. She was such a strong, compelling protagonist but her story made me angry. So many young women face similar circumstances across the globe and they are denied the education they need to escape their bondage. "I Am Change" was raw, gritty and emotive. A powerful read. ( )