Whirligigs in the Backyard: A Coming-of-Age Story Across Cultures, Convictions, and Choices

FAITH NEWS SERVICE – Beverley Jones was inspired to write Whirligigs in the Backyard to reach those who, like her, endured confusion, isolation, and cultural conflict during the often already turbulent teenage years.

Beverley’s adolescence was anything but ordinary. She grew up in a foreign land, caught between cultures and belief systems. Her family immigrated to Australia from Southeast Asia in the wake of Asia’s colonial collapse. With both English and Asian heritage her father believed the region was no longer safe for people of European descent.

In Australia, the family stood out. People were shocked to discover they spoke fluent English. Strangers would stop the children on the street to exclaim about their “beautiful black eyes and silky brown skin.” No one knew what race they were because of how they looked. Nor did it matter because as Beverley says, “People just made up their minds based on the colour of our skin.”

Torn between love and loyalty to her family, Beverley clung to the belief that her family’s religion was the only true faith – until she discovered others viewed it as a cult. Searching for a sense of belonging, she dreamed of returning home – to her birthplace, hoping it would be where she might finally fit in.

At age 14, Beverley found herself deeply influenced by the lyrics of the Sixties – songs that questioned authority, celebrated sexual liberation, and demanded social change. The music changed everything, and Beverley found herself caught up in the social and music revolution that had been sweeping the Western world. “So much so,” Beverley recalls, “From the dawn of my second year in high school, everything I did, or didn’t do, caused controversy.” Fueled by this awakening and with nothing left to lose, she made a bold decision to jump into the world offered by the music.

In this raw and unfiltered memoir, Beverley shares her rollercoaster journey of self-discovery which begins in the suburban outskirts of western Sydney, where social, racial, and religious isolation left her feeling deeply trapped. Her story spans her teenage years during which she struggles to break free from a controlling religious group, dives headfirst into the counterculture of the times, and confronts the racial confusion that defined her family. Beverley’s quest lays bare the vulnerability of a young girl making adult decisions far too soon – and the risks she was prepared to take in pursuit of freedom and identity.

Will Beverley ever find her way home? And what does home really mean when your roots are entangled. The twists and turns in her story will keep you guessing about what influences her decisions, and what path she follows in her quest for self-discovery and belonging.

If you’ve ever questioned the choices you made in your youth, or still carry unanswered questions from that time, Beverley’s story is a must-read. Whirligigs in the Backyard, published by Ark House, is now available globally. To make contact with the author, click here.