In Mama’s Song (Black Dog Books, 2009), Australia author Ben Beaton offers a tale woven with compassion and understanding about the emotional and often controversial theme of teen pregnancy.
Mama’s Song
Estranged from her parents and abandoned by her partying friends, Georgina is left with nowhere to turn for emotional support when she discovers she is pregnant. Confused, emotional and fearful for her future, she runs away from home planning to stay with the one family member she believes will offer her comfort and support.
When her plans fall apart, Georgina finds herself in a small rural hospital giving birth to a daughter she feels she is unable to love and care for. In the week following the birth, Georgina meets first-time mothers Mary and Nasreen, whose experiences offer Georgina the opportunity to put her own life into perspective.
With a combination of lessons learned from reflecting on her own choices and family relationships and the lessons she learns from the friendship and experiences of Mary and Nasreen, Georgina moves from being a frightened teen refusing to think about the future to a more mature acceptance of both herself and her new baby daughter Hannah.
The Journey From Child to Adult
In a YouTube introduction to Mama’s Song by the author, Beaton states that for him the book was always about “that moment in life where we move from a child to an adult”. For Georgina, Hannah's birth is a defining moment in that journey from self-focused childhood to a more empathetic and complex world view.
Georgina is an engaging central character. During her week in hospital after Hannah’s birth, she reflects on her past with an honesty that clearly illustrates her own flaws and failings as well as highlighting those of her parents and friends. As Georgina acknowledges the decisions that led to her pregnancy and decision to leave home, she gradually comes to an acceptance of the need to take responsibility for the consequences of those decisions.
Beaton’s skill as a storyteller is demonstrated in his deft portrayal of Georgina as an emotionally complex yet very real and relatable character. She is never portrayed as a victim or allowed to become self-indulgent or passive. Georgina’s owns the choices she makes even as her reflections on her past show the circumstances beyond her control that contributed to her poor decisions.
The Emotional Challenges of Motherhood
Although written for teens, Georgina’s experiences as a first time mother will strike a chord with a much broader audience. Her uncertainty, lack of confidence, confusion and feelings of being overwhelmed will be familiar to many women and the experiences of Mary and Nasreen further broaden the story to represent first-time motherhood beyond the teen mother experience.
It is Georgina’s emotional journey that makes this story such a gripping tale, difficult to put down and easily finished in one sitting. Sympathy for Georgina develops into a concern for her welfare that keeps readers turning pages and mentally encouraging her to reach a point where she can take on her new role as mother with a degree of confidence.
Ben Beaton
Born in Perth in 1972, Ben Beaton attended High School and University in Perth. He has taught english for the past 14 years and currently holds the position of Head of Information Learning Technology at Perth’s Scotch College. He lives near the beach in Perth with his wife and children.
An Insightful Story of Teen Motherhood
Avoiding all sense of moralistic judgement, Beaton tells Georgina’s story with a confronting emotional honesty that leaves readers reluctant to put down Mama’s Song before reaching the final pages.
Georgina is a flawed yet a very sympathetic character surrounded by an interesting and diverse group of secondary characters. This emotional drama will particularly appeal to older teen girls, young women and mothers.
Mama’s Song (ISBN: 978-17420-3105-7, 199 pages)
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