I lost my mobile at the Mall by Wendy Harmer

Random House, 2009. ISBN: 9781741663716
(Ages 10+) Highly recommended! When Elly loses her favourite handbag at the Mall, along with her friendship ring, her mobile containing all of her contacts, texts and photos (especially those of her boyfriend, Will, and the one of her friend Bianca standing next to Hugh Jackman) she feels her life is as good as over as she faces the wrath of her parents, her BF (Best friend) and her boyfriend. As she learns to find other ways of coping without her reliance on technology, Elly not only learns some important life lessons but comes to some new realisations about herself.
This is Harmer's first foray into the teen market and she certainly seems to have included the perfect themes to grab the attention of the reader - friendship, relationships and technology, the latter being the equivalent of the vital organs in the life of most teenagers. She manages to weave in the concepts of cyber-bullying, family relationships, histories and traditions as well as referring to the GFC as she engages the reader in the romp through Elly's life. The novel is written with humour and the genuine voice of a fifteen year old girl as she develops resilience and works to resolve the various situations in which she finds herself.
Jo Schenkel