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Tenderfoot

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Tenderfoot

By: Toni Jordan
Narrated by: Catherine McClements
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About this listen

 SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2026 INDIE BOOK AWARD FOR FICTION

'It's this emotional truth at the heart of Tenderfoot that sets it apart. This is a writer at the top of her game, telling a story that only she can tell' ABC Online, Best Books of 2025

'Tenderfoot is magnificent. Deeply moving. Beautiful. Powerful' TRENT DALTON

By the bestselling, award-winning author of Addition, an exhilarating novel about coming of age in 1970s Australia.

Wait for the boxes to open, wait for the race to begin. Wait, and your greyhound will cease to be the dog you know and become an entirely different kind of animal.

Brisbane, 1975: Andie Tanner's world is small but whole. Her mum is complicated, but she adores her dad and the kennel of racing greyhounds that live under their house. Andie is a serious girl with plans: finish school with her friends, then apprentice to her father until she can become a greyhound trainer, with dogs of her very own.

But real life rarely goes to plan, and the world is bigger and more complicated than Andie could imagine. When she loses everything she cares about - her family, her friends, the dogs - it's up to Andie to reclaim her future. She will need all her wits to survive this new reality of secrets and half-truths, addictions and crime.

With luminous, aching prose, Tenderfoot will move you like no other story this year.

'Extraordinary . . . the makings of an Australian classic' The Guardian

'Tenderfoot is both moving and clever; I was arrested from the opening chapter. By the end, I was reaching for the tissue box' ABC Online

'The book is gently gripping. It's hard to put down' The Australian Women's Weekly

'Emotionally insightful, thoughtfully plotted, captivating. A richly detailed portrait of a retro suburban Australian childhood' Books+Publishing

'Incredible . . . It kept me up all night' The Age

'A feat of delicate foreshadowing and reflection. Tenderfoot is about the clarity of hindsight, the necessity of forgiveness' The Conversation

'A powerful, tender and unforgettable novel . . . a masterclass in voice and characterisation' Good Reading Magazine

'Magnificent . . . One of my favourite books of the year' Weekend Australian

'Tenderfoot is a wonder . . . At once poignant and propulsive, this is Jordan's finest work yet. I loved it' LUCY TRELOAR

'Compelling and heartwarming with a cast of unforgettable characters . . . What a delight' INGA SIMPSON

'Tenderfoot is a breath of fresh air in Australian literature, for its compassion, its wisdom and its humour. I adored this story' EMILY BITTO

'A total triumph' CAROLINE OVERINGTON Coming of Age Family Life Genre Fiction
All stars
Most relevant
as a greyhound lover (I have had several over the years) it was hard to listen to the racing bits but im so glad i persevered. such a great story

Absolutely heartbreaking in the best way

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absolutely loved this book. if you're a child of the 70s, this one has it all - sherbet posters on the wall, luncheon meat sandwiches, the tab, station wagons and so much more. it's a heart wrenching tale of a young girl growing up in a tough family situation. absolutely beautifully narrated, even her voice sounds like it's from the 70s! highly recommend.

a wonderful story from the 1970s

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A great yarn about growing up in Australia in the 70s.
Every boomer would get a lot of enjoyment from this trip down memory lane.
Very believable with characters we all knew and know
Brilliantly researched with facts about the Greyhound racing industry that are indisputable and need to be told

Believable, heartfelt and engaging

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Generally superb reading but…
The reader is a southerner who doesn’t pronounce Capalaba and Wynnum right.
Sigh.
Typical.

Brilliant evocation of a time and place and a moment of life.

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Toni Jordon so beautifully captured working class Queensland of the 1970s. A beautifully crafted coming of age story…… wonderful characters.

The authentic retelling of a working class 1970s Australian childhood.

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