Wishes For Starlight by Linda J Bettenay

How does a deaf, orphaned, Noongar boy survive during the implementation of the draconian 1905 Aborigines Act? By having powerful and caring friends. Starlight is born in the 1890s in Canning Mills, Western Australia, a thriving timber town. He is found and nurtured by some remarkable people. None of their lives are straightforward: head strong Mary, born into a dysfunctional family, the Italian immigrant Marco and their closest friend Arthur, second son, in an amazing pioneering family. As the children grow into adulthood change arrives in their insulated lives; world events and evolving social norms threaten their bond and Starlight's future is put at risk. The war intervenes and other characters arrive who help Starlight evade the landslide of change removing the rights of Aboriginals. Past enemies resurface and the friends must confront the possibility that their actions may not be enough to save those they love from harm … Set largely in Western Australia, Wishes For Starlight is a novel where friendship and loyalty are pitted against public norms played out in an era of prejudice and disadvantage. It is a story about relationships, resilience and what true equality and freedom mean.