Mia: Through My Eyes - Australian Disaster Zones

Mia and her mum run a vet and wildlife rescue in regional WA, near Karratha. Mia loves taking care of the animals, but social situations make her anxious–she’s stressing about a speech she has to give in English about an environmental issue, even though she has a lot of experience with her topic: turtle conservation. When a new girl comes for a riding session, on one of their horses, Mia is self-conscious of her practical boots and muddy jeans next to Erin’s expensive, clean outfit. 

But social interactions are the least of her worries when Cyclone Veronica begins to build off the coast. When her mum is called out to an emergency foaling, then cut off by rising floodwaters, it’s clear that Mia will have to weather the storm alone. 

When her classmate Nick calls for help with his father Lorenzo, who has injured his arm and foot and has a head wound, Mia is the only one who can help. She quickly stabilises him and contacts emergency services, arranging for Nick to meet the ambulance. Once they’ve departed, Mia makes the difficult decision to set the horses free–it’s safest for them to move around during bad storms. 

Nick returns, and alerts Mia that one of their horses, Bandit, has been injured. Quickly, she sedates the horse and stitches his wounds. There’s a downed power line near them, and she contacts emergency services then lets her neighbour know about the cut power. He comes over to help fix her broken shed. 

When Mia’s mother returns after the storm–having successfully delivered the foal and kept it and the mare alive–she’s impressed at Mia’s bravery and control of the situation. She kept her head, trusted her instincts and training, and always tried to help others. Having survived such a disaster alone, Mia has the confidence to successfully deliver her English speech–and when Erin comes for another riding session, she’s impressed by Mia’s cool head. 

This latest book in the Australian Disaster Zones series centres on a devastating cyclone, spotlighting the importance of having clear disaster plans, fostering community connections, and fighting to stop climate change. 

Through Mia’s speech and her actions throughout the book, readers can clearly see the importance of taking action and responsibility on a manageable scale at a local level rather than becoming overwhelmed by the enormity of a task. No-one needs to go it alone if we all work together. 

Emotionally, Mia matures over the course of the novel–she learns to trust herself, and care less about the opinions of others. For readers curious about the region or cyclone Veronica, extensive notes and a timeline are included at the back. 

 emergency, responsibility, anxiety, overcoming fears, wildlife, conservation, climate change, disaster action plans, cyclone, community

 Not applicable.