Tag Archives: National Library of Australia

Mar30

This is Home: Essential Australian Poems for Children – Selected by Jackie French, Illustrated by Tania McCartney

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thisishome

Publisher:   National Library of Australia

ISBN:   9780642279385
01 April 2019

RRP: $34.99

Why yes, some readers of this blog will already know that not only am I non-fiction nerd since childhood but also a poetry nerd. I openly admit this to the children at school who are sometimes a little (?!) resistant to poetry. Of course, I follow this up by totally blowing them away with the magic, humour and depth of poetry.

As it happens, this new anthology, selected by the amazing Jackie French (all hail!) and illustrated by the gorgeous and multi-skilled Tania McCartney will be EASY to sell to poetry-resistant kids. The contributors included roll out like a ‘Who’s Who’ of Australian children’s literature, both past and present.

From such historic luminaries as Norman Lindsay, Judith Wright and Dorothea MacKellar to contemporary stars such as Meredith Costain, Suzanne Gervay, Meg McKinlay, Andy Griffiths, Shaun Tan  – *gasp* and pause for breath, this is one of the most comprehensive and quality poetry collections I’ve ever encountered for children.

Page after glorious page of amazing verse accompanied by Tania’s iconic illustrations, it is pure joy to hold, read and savour. There have been many anthologies of Australian poetry published for children but I would have to think hard about one that presents both old and new offerings to children with such a contemporary and fresh format.  I know that poetry is, of course, still embedded in the curriculum but children so often seem to be disengaged with the way it is presented to them. I fully believe that this new collection will give children a point of connection and impart the joy of verse.

Sir Walter Scott said “Teach your children poetry; it opens the mind, lends grace to wisdom and makes the heroic virtues hereditary.”

We owe it to our children to not only show them the beauty of narrative literature but the amazing landscape of poetic creativity.

Highly recommended for children and adults from around eight years upwards. This one’s not going anywhere except my own shelves.

Thank you Jackie and Tania – love your work! x

Sep16

Digby & Claude – Emma Allen & Hannah Sommerville

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digby

Publisher:   National Library of Australia
Edition:   1st Edition
ISBN:   9780642279279

Publication Date:   01 August 2018

RRP $24.99

When Emma Allen read an old newspaper article about ‘family friendly’ flats being built in Erskineville back in the 1930s she was inspired to create a picture book which reflected not only a child’s appreciation of their own place but also a time line of housing in Australia. Ably illustrated by Hannah Sommerville readers are invited to join Digby and Claude as they create their own refuge as a bulwark against the changes in their street.

With their imaginations soaring and their plans expanding daily the two boys build a cubby that is more worthy of the nomenclature ‘palace’. Through a long cold winter the pair keep their dream growing and give each other comfort and company.  When Claude’s father forbids his boy to play in such a dangerous place it seems that the vision of their special place has come to an end. But with the cessation of the redevelopment and the subsequent influx of new children in the neighbourhood Digby finds himself the newly appointed ‘king’ of a kingdom where all the children can play and imagine and dream.

The narrative concludes with two double spreads of photographic images explaining a wide variety of Australian homes over time, plus some background from the author and a reproduction of the newspaper clipping which prompted the story.

This is not only a lovely story about friendship, imagination and creativity but an extremely valuable addition to a classroom unit on the topic of houses/housing.

I highly recommend it for little people from around Year 1 or 2 upwards.

Hear Emma talk about the story behind the story here.