Cirrus@Austlit

'Adam Schwartz has spent more than a third of his life battling depression. At the age of 10, he began periods of school refusal, bouts of destruction, physical illness, endless trials with unsuccessful drug regimes and contemplation of suicide. Finally, he was forced to drop out of high school and relinquish his hopes of further education and a bright, healthy future.

'Fortunately, Adam's story has a happy ending. As someone who has only just left those terrible years behind, his recollections of what it is like to be a child and teenager suffering with depression are vivid.

'mum, i wish i was dead tells the story of Adam's journey through this illness and was written to help raise awareness of depression and give hope to both carers and sufferers.' (Publication summary)

'The novel follows 10-year-old Jessica Ferraro who lives near Swan Hill in North West Victoria and raises a brumby filly that has been separated from her mother by brumby runners. The book starts with Half-Pint coming home from the trainers, having been started under saddle. Jessica thinks all her dreams have come true until her parents restrict her riding to weekends when she is supervised by her mum or a local riding instructor. Jessica has other plans and starts riding bareback in secret before her parents get home, but not everything goes to plan...Book 1 follows the ups and downs of their first few months of riding.' (Publisher's blurb)