"Gus and the Starlight" was a sweet read and I loved the setting, a rundown drive-in-theatre. I totally understood the Able family's love of the old complex and shared Gus' wonder and love for the Starlight Drive-in Movie Theatre.

This novel took me back to my childhood when my parents would bundle my sisters and me into the car and take us to the movies. There was always something magical about buying the tickets, choosing the perfect viewing spot, hanging the speakers on the car window, clambering into the back to get comfortable and then waiting in anticipation for the sun to set so the movie could begin.

While most young people won't have first-hand knowledge of drive-in theatres, I think "Gus and the Starlight" will still appeal to young people as it is a wonderful coming-of-age story with likeable characters, a touch of the supernatural, classic movie references and a great family dynamics. A very enjoyable novel for middle school readers. ( )

Reviewed for VPRC. Really enjoyed this novel although was confused at the start because I thought it was set in the deep south in US and the Drive in owner was a black southern woman when in fact it is set in far north QLD and she is an over the top drama queen bogan, so go figure! Anyway... this is about Gus (Augusta) who flees with her mother, sister and brother one night from her mother's boyfriend Troy who has been using her mother's supernatural gifts to the exhaust and overwhelm Gus' mother. (sets up psychic scams). They flee to a little country town in the middle of the can fields and take lodging in a disused drive in theatre on the condition that they bring it back into operation. The old owner has gone missing (presumed dead) and his greedy daughter wants to sell the land to developers but not before she can make one last killing out of running the drive-in on weekends. The family are all squashed in a tiny caravan but with the Mum running the cafe, the elder daughter the tickets and Gus taking on the projection booth - how hard can it be? Gus is bewildered by the film's outdated projector until in walks the ghost (?) of the past owner who shows her what to do then disappears. He keeps doing this then disappearing and Gus realises that she now has "the gift" that her mother has - she can communicate with the dead. Meanwhile, something is going on with Gus's older sister that threatens to derail the whole project.
Lovely story. I guessed what was really happening quite early in the piece ( after I had worked out I was in QLD!) and found the character of Gus very engaging and likeable. Think this will be quite appealing to the Year 8 level. ( )