January 26th marks the date in which Australians reflect upon our cultural history and celebrate the accomplishments since the first fleet landed on Sydney’s shores in 1788. Here are a select few picture books aimed at providing children with some background knowledge of our beautiful land, flora, fauna and multicultural diversity. There is plenty of […]
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By: [email protected],
on 1/17/2015
Blog: Perpetually Adolescent (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: multicultural, Book News, diversity, indigenous, flora, Claire Saxby, Australia Day, Walker Books, Frané Lessac, Donna Gynell, fauna, Trudie Trewin, New Book Releases, Jeremy, Windy Hollow Books, Tania McCartney, Calpepper's Place, Working Title Press, danny snell, Book Reviews - Childrens and Young Adult, Big Red Kangaroo, Graham Byrne, Chris Faille, Tina Snerling, An Aussie Year, EK Books, Romi Sharp, A is for Australia, Add a tag
By: [email protected],
on 1/27/2013
Blog: Perpetually Adolescent (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Book News, Australia Day, Little Hare Books, Aesop's fables, Heath Mckenzie, Hardie Grant Egmont, yvonne morrison, Dimity Powell, Book Reviews - Childrens and Young Adult, lamingtons, emus, Outback Possum, The Emu That Laid the Golden Egg, The Goose that Laid the Golden Eggs, Town Possum, Add a tag
By: Aline Pereira,
on 1/26/2011
Blog: PaperTigers (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Australia, Australia Day, Bronwyn Bancroft, Why I Love Australia, Add a tag
By: Sally Murphy,
on 1/25/2009
Blog: Scribblings (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: aussiereviews, australia day, geoff Havel, australian books, Add a tag
By: Sally Murphy,
on 1/26/2008
Blog: Scribblings (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: murphlets, gary crew, swimming, australia day, cricket, reading, tennis, gary crew, swimming, australia day, murphlets, Add a tag
By: Kelly Herold,
on 3/25/2007
Blog: Crossover (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: writers and illustrators on the move, Add a tag
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By: [email protected],
on 1/17/2015
Blog: Perpetually Adolescent (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: multicultural, Book News, diversity, indigenous, flora, Claire Saxby, Australia Day, Walker Books, Frané Lessac, Donna Gynell, fauna, Trudie Trewin, New Book Releases, Jeremy, Windy Hollow Books, Tania McCartney, Calpepper's Place, Working Title Press, danny snell, Book Reviews - Childrens and Young Adult, Big Red Kangaroo, Graham Byrne, Chris Faille, Tina Snerling, An Aussie Year, EK Books, Romi Sharp, A is for Australia, Add a tag
By: [email protected],
on 1/27/2013
Blog: Perpetually Adolescent (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Book News, Australia Day, Little Hare Books, Aesop's fables, Heath Mckenzie, Hardie Grant Egmont, yvonne morrison, Dimity Powell, Book Reviews - Childrens and Young Adult, lamingtons, emus, Outback Possum, The Emu That Laid the Golden Egg, The Goose that Laid the Golden Eggs, Town Possum, Add a tag
As I smack down some lamingtons over the Straya Day long weekend, I am reminded of how my first encounter with half of the Aussie Coat of Arms filled me with unaccountable terror. A bristling periscopic neck thrust its way deep into our car’s interior in search of edible morsels as I shrank deep into the rear seat. Being young and unacquainted with the ways our largest flightless bird, I convinced myself their diet must include the tender noses of young innocents. Thankfully I was wrong. And thankfully, the talented team who brought us Town Possum, Outback Possum, Yvonne Morrison and Heath McKenzie, have created a version of Aesop’s well-known fable, The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs, entertaining enough to salve my terrifying first impression of – the emu.
But are all emus as undiscerning and bold enough to lunge for any old scrap? Apparently not, for Emma’s taste requires greater stimulation than the mere leftovers the rest of her flock dines on. Her insatiable appetite leads her far from home until exhausted and starving; she gorges on what she mistakes for kernels of corn. You’d think laying a golden egg would stem your starvation somewhat but it does little to abate her hunger and she soon abandons the glimmering egg.
Enter stage right, the baddies; two rotten scoundrels, keen on stealing whatever they can get their grubby little, pink paws on. Before long, Emma is trapped by their devious plot to become the richest possums this side of the goldfields. Their crafty plan soon unravels thanks to Emma’s gluttony and a certain black beetle. Jammy Emma escapes to reunite with her flock and the realisation that greed gains nothing, and leftovers taste far better than, ‘brass, glass and gold!’ (Which I hasten to point out; is why it is paramount to keep your windows up when driving through wild life reserves featuring roving emus. Tourists confined in cars are nearly always a better option for them than running down bugs.)
This charismatic picture book portraits our oft times misunderstood emu as a hugely likeable misfit who is just after a good feed. I adore Morrison’s trade-mark lilting verse, and really relish a picture book which dares to include vibrant snappy vocabulary; vital for enabling young children to strengthen their literacy muscle. Unforced, clever and chock-full of interesting and evocative words and images, the swaying rhyme is a delight to read out loud.
McKenzie’s bold illustrations bounce off the page with as much zeal and fervour as a hungry emu bounding towards a car full of tourists with an open bag of CCs. Brilliant and fun.
I still harbour one or two reservations about emus. Hard not to when they stalk up close and stare you down with those Delphic, ember-coloured eyes. But I have absolutely no reservations in recommending The Emu That Laid the Golden Egg to anyone who loves a true-blue Aussie yarn, iconic Aussie characters and the odd blowfly or two.
Oi! Oi! Oi!
Published by Little Hare Books 2012
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By: Aline Pereira,
on 1/26/2011
Blog: PaperTigers (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Australia, Australia Day, Bronwyn Bancroft, Why I Love Australia, Add a tag
It’s Australia Day in, well, Australia today and Slightly Addicted to Fiction has highlighted what sounds like a particularly stunning book by one of my favorite Australian illustrators, Bronwyn Bancroft – Why I Love Australia.
Meanwhile Book Chook features a paper boomerang ativity… And while you’ve got the paper and scissors out, how about making a PaperTigers Paper Tiger while you’re at it?
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By: Sally Murphy,
on 1/25/2009
Blog: Scribblings (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: aussiereviews, australia day, geoff Havel, australian books, Add a tag
Not strictly related to writing for children, but as a proud Aussie I'd like to wish all readers a wonderful Australia Day. I am off to to the Corrigin Australia day breakfast this morning, then to the pool this afternoon.Enjoy the day!And, to make this post book related, I'm asking a big Aussie question. What is your favourite Australian children's book?To me, this one of the hardest questions
24 Comments on Happy Australia Day and a Big Question, last added: 1/28/2009
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By: Sally Murphy,
on 1/26/2008
Blog: Scribblings (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: murphlets, gary crew, swimming, australia day, cricket, reading, tennis, gary crew, swimming, australia day, murphlets, Add a tag
Happy Australia Day. What better thing to celebrate than the wonderful country where I live. As the new Australian of the Year, Lee Kernaghan said in his acceptance speech, there is no greater honour than to be Australian. Anyway, here I am dressed up for the Corrigin Australian Day Breakfast. I had fun with the temporary tattoos, though you can see only one in the photo. The other essential
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By: Kelly Herold,
on 3/25/2007
Blog: Crossover (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Writers and illustrators are out and about this weekend, being interviewed, profiled, and writing essays themselves.
First and foremost, our own Don Tate writes about talking writing and illustration with juvenile offenders for the Austin American-Statesman. It's an inspirational piece. Great work, Don!
Carolyn Peirce interviews Jennifer L. Holm for the Baltimore Sun.
Mary Schulte talks to three writers for the Kansas City Star: Esmé Raji Codell, Mordicai Gerstein and Pam Muñoz Ryan.
Jenny Deam talks to Anita Silvey (100 Best Books for Children and 500 Great Books for Teens) for the Denver Post.
Someone (where's the gosh-darned byline?) talks to Jen Bryant for the Chester Daily Local Online (PA).
Erica Anderson covers a Walter Wick (I Spy) and Rodman Philbrook event in Walla Walla, Washington for the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin.
Joanna Carey profiles Alexis Deacon for the Guardian.
The question is: who hides during the winter? Journalists or children's writers and illustrators?
3 Comments on Writers and illustrators, out and about, last added: 3/26/2007
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Possum Magic. Well, that's my choice today. Seems like lately each new Australian book I read is my current favourite.
I have that problem, too, Bookchook.And I love Possum magic, too. I especially love Julie Vivas' illustrations - she is a wodnerful illustrator.
One Hungry Spider, Jeannie Baker. It was a favourite with my children, but it also showed me that a counting book could be much more than just numbers.
Ooh - yes I loved that one, too. So many to choose from!
My nearly 8-year old still loves The Magic Hat by Mem Fox. My favorite, however, is Diary of a Wombat by Jackie French.
Excluding books I love for personal reasons, "Polymer", by Sally Rogers-Davidson is a brilliant book that ties in first place with "Witchbank", by Catherine Jinks and the "Chain of Charms" series by Kate Forsyth. They are all wonderfully individual takes on done-to-death genres (though not, admittedly, done to death... or even often ... in Australia. Polymer is space opera with a gloriously
Tricia - I read magic Hat about a gazillion times to my kids, and we all love Diary of a Wombat, too. Great chocies.Sally O, these all sound intriguing, though I must admit I haven't read them i do love Catherine Jinks' work - but Witchbank is one I haven't read. Must keep an eye out for all of tehse recommendations.Thanks for sharing ladies.
My choice would be Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox. I love all of Fox's work, but especially this one! It always makes me cry and I use it in my classroom every year to write about memories.
The Magic Pudding by Norman Lindsay...an Aussie friend sent me a copy and I was completely entranced. I someday hope to be a member of the Honorable Society of Puddin' Owners
I am very ashamed to say that the only Australian book I have ever read is The Arrival by Shaun Tan. :o( The Arrival knocked me off my feet, but I know I need to read more Australian children's/YA books! Any recommendations for which titles I should start with?Happy Australia Day! :o)
I really like John Marsden's Tomorrow series. I have yet to read the Ellie Chronicles, but I'm sure I'll like those, too.
I loved the possibilites of Playing Beatie Bow by Ruth Park, the switch between historical and fantasy really excites me. So that was a favourite for me as a writer on the early stages of her craft.
THE RED TREE by Shaun Tan.
Samantha Seagull's Sandals by Gordon Winch with its lovely message about being different. The pic book was in print for 23 years and is to be re-published in 2010. Yay!Kay
I love The Magic Pudding by Norman Lindsay too; and Ruth Park's Playine Beatie Bow. I also have to add Garth Nix's Abhorsen trilogy!
My very favorite Australian book is Pigs Might Fly by Emily Rodda. It is wonderful! Such an incredibly well written middle-grade fantasy.
I think Garth Nix is the only Australian author I've read anything by, and I like the Abhorsen trilogy best of his books (so far). Diary of a Wombat is on my list of books to read, though.
And for picture books, I *love* the Red Tree by Shaun Tan.
I agree that Abhorsen is the best of Nix's books (the ones I've read, anyway). And Cheryly, anything by EMily Rodda is worthr eading - I should have mentioend her, so thanks for remidning me. I was fortuante enough to interview EMily for Reading Time magazine last eyar.Also LOVE Shaun Tan. A genius and a nice guy too.
We lived in Australia for a number of years, fortunately when the children were young and were able to enjoy the rich Australian heritage of children's books. Among those that they enjoyed were the Tashi stories and the Minton stories by Fienberg, The Tram to Bondi Beach by Hathorn, Okra and Acacia also by Hathorn, Harry and the Anzac Poppy by Lockyer, Possum Magic by Mem Fox, Shy the Platypus
I have to put in a good word for The Terrible Underpants as well as Wanda-Linda Goes Berserk. Both by Kaz Cooke. They're just so funny they're guaranteed to get both me and my kids giggling.
Wow, Charles that's quite a list - and a wodnerful blend of classics and more recent offerings. Your chidlren were certainly given a smorgasbord of quality Australian literature to read.And Lizann, I had forgotten Kaz Cooke. not sure how I could - her 'adult' books are also evry funny.
L love Bobbie Dazzler by Margaret Wild and Janine Dawson. It's a picture book that's got the lot - a great story, marvellous illustrations, Australiana, humour and heart.(Sorry for the late post - I'm just getting over the Oz Day BBQ lunch!)
Thanks for dropping in, Julia. i like Bobbie Dazzler too - and love the title, because when I was a kdi I had a pair of Bobbie Dazzler socks (stripey kneehighs) which I adored.