Alex — Rosanne Hawke

A captivating and heartfelt story of one boy's resilience in the face of devastating drought.


Alex sighs at the dusty brown landscape. Drought is second nature to him - but how much longer can his family keep hoping for rain and better days?


Thirteen-year-old Alex lives on a drought-affected property in South Australia with his mum, his dad, his kelpie dog Tangi and colt Jago. For years it hasn't rained enough for them to put a crop in. And while all the farmers in the area are suffering, Alex's dad is struggling more than most. As the drought stretches on, Alex helps his mum with the farm work while longing for the father he once knew.


When Bonnie moves in on the neighbouring property with her camel-training family, even feral dogs and a missing classmate cannot stop the newfound friends' passion to make a difference to the environment and their community. Will Alex's dad recover - and will the rains ever return?


This inspiring Australian Disaster Zones series is a powerful and contemporary reminder of the effects of natural disasters and the ever-increasing threat of climate change to our vast and volatile continent.