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Tenderfoot

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Tenderfoot

By: Toni Jordan
Narrated by: Catherine McClements
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Summary

 SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2026 INDIE BOOK AWARD FOR FICTION
SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2026 ABIA LITERARY FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR
SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2026 ABA ADULT FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR

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

'This is a writer at the top of her game, telling a story that only she can tell' ABC ONLINE, BEST BOOKS OF 2025

'Extraordinary . . . the makings of an Australian classic' THE GUARDIAN

Luminous, aching, exhilarating - a coming-of-age novel like no other, from the bestselling, award-winning author of Addition.

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 big plans: finish school with her friends, then apprentice to her father so 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. But she'll need all her wits to survive this new reality of secrets, half-truths and addiction.

'Magnificent . . . One of my favourite books of the year' WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN

'Incredible . . . It kept me up all night' THE AGE

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

'The book is gently gripping. It's hard to put down' THE AUSTRALIAN WOMEN'S WEEKLY

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

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

'A total triumph' CAROLINE OVERINGTON Coming of Age Family Life Genre Fiction
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Most relevant
I loved this different and wonderful story from Toni Jordan. The narration by Catherine McClements was superb. The memories that came to me (1950s-60s child) were so familiar. The details exacting & the greyhound connections well understood as my relatives owned & raced them in country NSW. I identified with so much & the back and forthing around present adult age to the child was clever. I am sure I will re listen & now find more titles from Toni Jordan!

Wow! What an amazing story!

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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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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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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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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.