30th Anniversary Edition. Ford St Publishing, 2014. ISBN:
9781925000542 (hardcover). ISBN 9781925000559 (paperback)
(Age guide: 5 -9 year olds) Highly recommended for Prep children and
up! I think back over 20 plus years of teaching and reflect on how
many 'geography' lessons I've taught in either Lower School
classrooms or the library with the aid of so many of Michael's
books. If you've never had the joy of reading aloud The Great
Tasmanian Tiger Hunt to a class of five year olds and have
them squealing 'He's THERE!' all the way through it, in fits of
laughter - your teaching experience is missing out!!
So it is with great pleasure that I am able to review the 30th
Anniversary edition of Michael's The Monster Who Ate Australia.
Burra the Boggabri lives in Uluru, peacefully and happily, until it
starts to swarm with noisy tourists who keep him awake with their
rowdy antics. Fed up with all this disruption Burra sets off to find
a new home and treks all the way around Australia, not only visiting
national icons but eating them! From the Royal Perth Yacht Club to
Adelaide's Festival Hall to Lake Burley Griffin and the National
Gallery, to the Sydney Opera House and onto the Big Pineapple, Burra
tries his best to find somewhere to fit in. By far the lowest point
in this journey of discovery is being locked up in Taronga Park Zoo.
Luckily, nothing is safe from Burra's appetite and he stealthily
escapes after nibbling away the cage bars. In the end, like so many
other travellers, Burra realises that there is no place like home,
after he arrives back at Uluru, completely exhausted from his epic
expedition.
Like all Michael's books this is a humorous colourful romping
adventure and like many of them is such a wonderful way to share
special locations in our nation with little people, giving them a
sense of place and a pride in our unique natural and built
landscape. Plotting Burra's journey on maps, finding out more about
the places he visits/eats, conversations about which students have
travelled to other states, starting a communication with interstate
peers are all part of the fun and learning that accompany such a
book. This is a splendid opportunity to introduce Michael's work to
the newest generation of readers and is worthy of a place on any
library bookshelf - or home shelf. I know where this copy is
staying!
Sue Warren
Counting Aussie Animals in my Backyard by Bronwyn Houston
Magabala Books, 2014. ISBN 9781922142542
(Age: Pre-Primary) This book has already established itself as a
favourite on our shelves for bedtime. Explore a lush tropical
setting filled with vivid colours and familiar Australian birds and
animals, while practising simple counting. From the gorgeous
endpapers to the simple text, from the stunning artwork to the
classy design, this is a real treasure.
Bronwyn Houston lives in Broome and is descended from the Nyiyaparil
and Yindijibarndi people of the Pilbara region. She has previously
collaborated on three other books but this is her first entirely
solo effort - and one would truly hope not the last! Bronwyn draws
on her environment for inspiration and that has truly transferred
into this 'richly textured' new book.
From toddlers and up this is not 'just another counting book' but a
feast for the eyes of little animal lovers everywhere.
Comprehensive teaching
notes and links to the AC can be found here.
Sue Warren
Elephants have wings by Susanne Gervay
Ill. by Anna Pignataro. Ford St Publishing, 2014. ISBN 9781925000399
(hardcover). ISBN 9781925000405 (paperback).
(Age: 7+) Picture Book. Elephant and the blind men
Once upon a time, there lived six blind men in a village. One day
the villagers told them, "Hey, there is an elephant in the village
today."
They had no idea what an elephant is. They decided, "Even though we
would not be able to see it, let us go and feel it anyway." All of
them went where the elephant was. Everyone of them touched the
elephant.
"Hey, the elephant is a pillar," said the first man who touched his
leg.
"Oh, no! it is like a rope," said the second man who touched the
tail.
"Oh, no! it is like a thick branch of a tree," said the third man
who touched the trunk of the elephant.
"It is like a big hand fan" said the fourth man who touched the ear
of the elephant.
"It is like a huge wall," said the fifth man who touched the belly
of the elephant.
"It is like a solid pipe," Said the sixth man who touched the tusk
of the elephant.
They began to argue about the elephant and everyone of them insisted
that he was right. It looked like they were getting agitated. A wise
man was passing by and he saw this. He stopped and asked them, "What
is the matter?" They said, "We cannot agree to what the elephant is
like." Each one of them told what he thought the elephant was like.
The wise man calmly explained to them, "All of you are right. The
reason every one of you is telling it differently because each one
of you touched the different part of the elephant. So, actually the
elephant has all those features what you all said."
"Oh!" everyone said. There was no more fight. They felt happy that
they were all right.
The moral of the story is that there may be some truth to what
someone says. Sometimes we can see that truth and sometimes not
because they may have different perspective which we may not agree
to. So, rather than arguing like the blind men, we should say,
"Maybe you have your reasons." This way we don't get in arguments.
In Jainism, it is explained that truth can be stated in seven
different ways. So, you can see how broad our religion is. It
teaches us to be tolerant towards others for their viewpoints. This
allows us to live in harmony with the people of different thinking.
This is known as the Syadvada, Anekantvad, or the theory of Manifold
Predictions. http://www.jainworld.com/literature/story25.htm
Taking inspiration from this old moral tale used in many spiritual
traditions including Jainism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Sufism, Susanne
Gervay has created a beautiful story for children to explore 'the
humanity in all of us'.
After their father retells his version of the story, two children
are magically transported on a winged elephant to discover the
meaning of the parable. This beautiful tale is accompanied by
wonderful illustrations created from a variety of media in an
expressionistic style.
The book has been endorsed by the Blake Society with the Blake Prize
for art and poetry exploring themes of spirituality, religion and
human justice and links perfectly with the Australian Curriculum:
Asia & Australia's Engagement with Asia.
A beautiful addition to your collection for children Lower/Middle
school.
Sue Warren
Go to Sleep, Jessie by Libby Gleeson
Ill. By Freya Blackwood. Little Hare, 2014. ISBN 9781742977805
(Age: Preschool - Yr 2) Jessie now shares big sister Jo's bedroom
now and she won't go to sleep. Every night she screams and
screams and Jo cannot get to sleep. Even sharing T-Bear only works
for a little while and mum and dad aren't a lot of help when Jo
pleads with them to do something. A clean nappy and a lullaby only
work for a little while until Jo demands her own room back - she
NEEDS to sleep. "You wouldn't like that," says Mum and when Dad
finally puts Jessie in the car and drives her around the block again
and again and again Jo realises mum is right. So when Jessie wakes
again after the long car ride, she has to think of another solution.
This is a lovely story from the brilliant pairing of Libby Gleeson
and Freya Blackwood that will resonate with many young children who
share a room with their baby brothers or sisters. It's a story of
love and tenderness and is so real that it will strike a chord with
most. The classic muted tones of Blackwood's illustrations are there
but this time in tones of blue and orange which juxtapose the
upstairs and downstairs worlds of the house as well as the peace and
love in the story with the noise and frustration of Big Sister.
Blackwood writes about this in her blog.
I love these sorts of pictures books because they provide an
opportunity for the children to become so involved in the story -
most of them have a similar story to share or something to
contribute and they're the perfect opportunity to start the
prediction and problem-solving processes. In this case, asking them
"What would you do?" and "What do you think Jo will do?" will open
lots of talk and help little ones realise that stories are fun,
stories can be about them and they have something worthwhile to
offer. Essential steps as they develop their early literacy skills.
Barbara Braxton
Alfie in the Garden by Debi Gliori
Bloomsbury, 2014. ISBN 9781408839515
(Age: Preschool) Alfie Rabbit is helping Mama-Bun in the garden. But
his world turns from real to imagined as he peers through the
leaves. Now he's in the jungle! He's a lion on the prowl, an
elephant spraying water from his trunk, and a little bird flying
home to his nest . . . to have a nap with Mummy! Alfie's imagination
is bigger than his backyard!
This is a beautiful book for preschoolers that takes the child into
the backyard jungle of their home. Just what is hiding in amongst
all those bushes and flowers that are at eye-level for the young
child? Debi Gliori's beautiful, distinctive illustrations open up a
new world that could be really useful in getting our littlest
readers to start exploring the world of creatures even smaller than
they are. The soft colour palette, the curved lines of the insects -
even those with heart-shaped noses - and their gentle expressions
take away any threats so the reader sees this as a friendly world,
although there is always the need to share a word of caution
especially in Australian gardens.
A great read-together for the very young reader.
Barbara Braxton
The Iron trial by Cassandra CLare and Holly Black
Doubleday Childrens, 2104. ISBN 9780857532503
Many readers will already know these two authors - Cassandra from her very
successful Mortal Instruments series, and Holly from her equally
successful Spiderwick Chronicles partnership. Now these two have
collaborated on the first in a new series which Harry Potter fans
will no doubt eat up. In fact, HP devotees will love to spot the
similarities throughout the book I am sure.
Easy to read and a real page-turner, The Iron Trial
takes us into the Magisterium, a facility for educating potential
mages. Callum Hunt (Call) is the son of mages with no inkling of his
own magical ability, although at times strange things have happened
around him. As a baby, Call's mother died in an ambush by the Enemy,
and Call survived, though with a badly damaged leg. When Call's
grieving father Alastair discovers his dead wife, surrounded by
their dead comrades and discovered his baby son alive, he was struck
by his wife's mysterious last message scratched into the nearby rock
- 'Kill the child'.
When the kids of Call's district reach a certain age, they are
summoned to a testing day to assess their suitability for entry to
the Magisterium. Call, having been warned all his life by this
father to avoid magic, desperately wants to fail the tests - already
marking him as the odd one out as all the other applicants just as
earnestly want to be selected as Mages' apprentices.
Call's botching of the tests is spectacular and gives some
indication of his latent powers, but he is not successful in
avoiding selection. Master Rufus, most revered Mage, selects Tamara
and Aaron the two highest scoring applicants - and Call, the lowest
scoring as his new apprentices. Despite initial hostility between
the three apprentices, they forge a real bond with an understanding
of each other and their strengths and weaknesses.
Amid the usual personality clashes of a new school and the
inevitable 'stuck up' kid, the usual nervous ones and as it turns
out, the innocuous seeming boy who turns out to be anything but!
Call navigates his way through his Iron Year and realises that his
father's warnings seem far away as he comes to appreciate what magic
can achieve and how being accepted makes him feel.
There are undercurrents of secrecy as Master Rufus and Call's father
differ on the way to handle Call's magical ability, with Call
knowing less than most of the other kids about the history behind
the Mages and their wars with the Enemy.
You can be sure of one thing. Call will turn out to be the 'Chosen
One' and will no doubt be aided in whatever challenges lie ahead by
his fellow apprentices.
One of our Year 6 students last week picked up the promo postcard
from the Circ Desk and said excitedly, 'Oh Miss, this is a GREAT
book! I got it for my birthday and I read it straightaway! I can't
wait for the second one to come out!'. Not a bad recommendation, I'd
say. Again I say, for those who need a HP type fix, this is the book
to do it. I find it is darker and edgier with a little more real
humour than those but there are definitely many many similarities.
Sue Warren
A Chick 'n' Pug Christmas by Jennifer Sattler
Bloomsbury, 2014. ISBN 9781599906027
Recommended for 2-5 year olds. Christmas is coming and Pug is
dressed up in his itchy Santa suit, he even looks a little like him
with his large tummy. His friend Chick is very excited and bursting
with questions about Christmas, who is this special person, what
does he do and how does he deliver all the presents in one night?
All Pug wants to do is nap in the snowy backyard. Chick is taken
with the idea that Santa is really a superhero, he really wants to
be his helper - an elf. They decide to help some friends, sharing
Christmas cheer with Mr. Snuggles, The Dude and an ordinary citizen.
Jennifer Sattler's new picture book celebrates the wonder and spirit
of Christmas, her familiar characters Chick and Pug are a quirky
duo. Her illustrations are bold and vibrant, the young reader is
drawn in to the excitement as the illustrations bring the story to
life - poor Mr. Snuggles wrapped up in Christmas bells.
Rhyllis Bignell
The Last of the Spirits by Chris Priestley
Bloomsbury, 2014. ISBN 9781408854136
(Age: 11-15) Recommended. I am not familiar with Chris Priestley's work - no
doubt, because the supernatural/paranormal genre is not one for
which I usually opt. But reading a little of his bio, it seems this
'master of the macabre' loves nothing better than to take a
traditional Gothic horror story and put a complete new twist on it.
And this he has done with A Christmas Carol. I really like Dickens
but I'm not an Egghead knowing all there is to know about every book
and while I like A Christmas Carol it has never been my favourite,
and I had completely forgotten about the two 'wild' children hidden
underneath the robes of the Ghost of Christmas Present. Ignorance
and Want, these two feral children become the focus of this side
stepping of the original story, taking the reader into the dark and
disturbing world of Dickens' London.
Written in a style that will totally captivate those young readers
who relish a bit of spookiness, this story is new, fresh and
engaging while completely retaining the pervading message of the
original novel.
I'm giving this a big thumbs up and will definitely be promoting it
to Middle School next year - creepy but not horrific, matter of fact
but not graphic (about the dire circumstances of London's poor) and
totally resolved in a satisfactory manner.
I'd be grabbing this one for your library shelves - readers around
11 to 15 would love it I believe
Sue Warren
Once upon a Christmas compiled and edited by Beattie Alvarez
Christmas Press, 2014. ISBN 9780992283858
(Age: 9+) This is a collection of Christmas stories, poems and
illustrations, dedicated to Santa Claus. With contributions from
many of Australia's well known and best loved authors like Duncan
Ball, Ursula Dubosarsky, Vashti Farrer, Kate Forsyth, Pamela
Freeman, Susanne Gervay, Juliet Marillier and Sophie Masson, and
illustrations by a variety of artists, this is a wide ranging
collection of memoirs about Christmas, some folktales and poetry.
Those looking for stories that celebrate the birth of Christ will
find only a few references to this event, although I found the
poignant poem by Anne Bee, The Donkey a beautiful reminder
of the Nativity as was the poem The Mouse by Nette Hilton
I browsed through this collection picking out stories by my
favourite authors. In the Inglenook by Juliet Marillier
tells the tale of two abandoned Christmas decoration toys who are
rescued by a mother who remembered them from her childhood. Robert's
tree by Pamela Freeman describes how Robert's Christmas tree
grew so big that it had to be put in the ground. For older readers,
reading the poignant, Christmas at the Homeless Shelter by
Adele Geras, could mean a discussion about the true meaning of
Christmas and how they could perhaps help those in need at this
time. Babushka and the Star a traditional Russian Christmas
legend retold by Sophie Masson is a beautiful tale of
Babushka, who 'will never stop looking for the little child born
under the miraculous star.'
Some of the stories describe how the authors celebrate Christmas, Grandma's
Christmas by Susanne Gervay brings a picture of her much loved
parents and how their contributions to Christmas are being passed
down through the generations. Isabelle Merlin in Childhood
Christmas - plus a cake describes how she loved her Christmas
celebrations in France, and even gives an easy French Christmas log
cake recipe that would be easy for young readers to make with the
help of an adult. These memoirs could give rise to a writing
activity in class, with each child writing about how Christmas or
another important holiday is celebrated in their family. The diverse
writings could prove to be discussion point in the class about many
beliefs and customs in Australia and around the world.
Each page is decorated with Christmas bells and holly and there are
some lovely full page coloured illustrations, disconcertingly placed
in the middle of the book, rather than with the story they
illustrate.
All in all this would be a very useful collection to have in a
library and the varied texts could lead to lively discussions and
directed writing about Christmas.
Pat Pledger
The Walled City by Ryan Graudin
Indigo, 2014. ISBN 9781780621999
Not suitable for younger readers. In the brutal, lawless Walled
City, violent criminals are in control whilst broken, lost souls
such as street children try to survive anyway they can, living in
filthy squalor and being wary of everyone.
Most of the story centres upon a brothel owned by a vicious gang who
press young girls into sexual slavery. Accordingly, the subject is
grim with women being forcibly detained, savagely beaten, sexually
assaulted and prostituted for the profit of the gang's leader.
The violence and competition for survival on the streets is such
that to stay alive, children must run from ever present threats and
be handy with a knife to defend themselves. Two characters have
reason to gain entry to the brothel, Jin Ling seeks to rescue an
enslaved sister, whilst Dai is under immense pressure to accomplish
a task before a given date. Cooperating requires that the pair break
the primary rule of survival, being 'Trust nobody'. This is no small
matter given the hair raising exploits the pair become involved in,
with each having the other's life in their hands on occasion. The
mystery of Dai's race against time and his reason for being in the
city took too long to reveal and became annoying and boring rather
than captivating.
One of the many confronting aspects of this story is that it is
based on the Kowloon Walled City, however it is set in contemporary
time. A story such as this set in a futuristic, dystopian society or
even a Medieval fantasy world enables escapism, however the setting
of this tale firmly emphasises that many women do experience this
barbarous mistreatment in our modern world. Given that lives of
violence and sexual exploitation are a reality for too many women
and children, it is valid for adults to be prompted to feel deeply
about the misery and degradation experienced by the less fortunate.
Whether this is fit and appropriate for adolescent readers is a
complex question which many will have diverse, strong opinions
about.
My own feeling is that the evil practices portrayed in this novel
are not depicted gratuitously yet readers will be disturbed.
Further, it would be concerning if readers were not disturbed by
this issue but I don't consider that the novel has enough depth to
make it compelling literature. For this reason I urge parents to
read it carefully before giving it to their children and suggest
that librarians and teachers exercise caution in regard to whether
this is appropriate for their collection and if so, which age levels
may borrow it.
Rob Welsh
The Tree House by Toni Brisland
Ill. by Michele Gaudion. Little Steps, 2014. ISBN 9781925117011
(Age: K - 3) Teresa and Emma are sisters and best friends and Emma's
greatest wish is that her profoundly disabled sister could run on
rainbows and do the things that she can, like climbing trees. So she
asks Daddy and Grandpa to build a treehouse instead. But while they
do that there is an accident which puts Teresa in hospital and
changes the plans dramatically.
This is a sensitive family story that gives children with
disabilities like Teresa's, or their sisters, an opportunity to see
themselves as characters in a story. While Teresa's disability plays
a significant role in the events, it is about family love first and
disability second. Accompanied by gentle artwork, it is a feel-good
story that might help others think about the things they do and take
for granted. Imagine even eating strawberries becoming a challenge
or being unable to speak, let alone unable to do either. Yet this is
the life of many young children and we need to acknowledge it.
This book was written after the author had a conversation with a
social worker who told her that there were very few books available
to start discussions with the siblings of disabled children who are
finding it hard to cope with the situation. It is based on Toni's
sister, Teresa, who had cerebral palsy, and the influence Teresa had
on her. While I've read other books in which the main character has
a disability, this is the first one I recall written from the
perspective of a sibling.
Worth having in your collection.
Barbara Braxton
Rory and the Monstersitter by Rosie Reeve
Bloomsbury, 2014. ISBN 9781408845516
(Age: Preschool - Yr 2) Rory the Monster loves to cook and he's
always creating new and interesting recipes using whatever
ingredients he has to hand - bats, bugs, anything is likely to end
up in the mix. One evening, his parents decide to go on a
dinner date, hiring an enormous hairy monster to look after Rory,
Fangus, Lily and Baby Grub. The monster sits himself down in front
of the television ignoring what the children are up to in the
kitchen and then outside. Their tummies are rumbling so while
their parents are enjoying a delicious dinner at the Cockroach
Cafe, they concoct their own dinner starting with leaves and twigs,
a splash of water, a twist of pepper and a sprinkling of salt.
But it is missing a vital ingredient . . .
This is a laugh-out-loud story that has a superb twist in its
telling (not just the twist of pepper.) When I first read it
to some six-year-olds they were quite quizzical at the ending, but
when it finally sunk in what had happened and what was planned they
begged for it to be read again and again. Between the text and the
superb illustrations there was much to pick up on and enjoy.
It also led to a discussion about how authors use unexpected events
and endings to turn stories on their heads and how, sometimes, even
with all we know we are surprised.
It would be very easy to use this text address the Australian
Curriculum Year 1 outcome ACELY1660 ('Use comprehension strategies
to build literal and inferred meaning about key events, ideas and
information in texts that they listen to, view and read by drawing
on growing knowledge of context, text structures and language
features') because its humour and twist set it apart from many of
the other stories for this age group.
Barbara Braxton
My Little Star by Mark Sperring
Ill. by Nicola O'Byrne. Bloomsbury, 2014. ISBN 9781408849613
(Age: Preschool - K) 'When the day is done and sleeps draws near
When the moon's aglow and stars appear
I'll whisper something crystal clear
Words just meant for you hear'.
Mem Fox once said that the bedtime story routine is like 'drawing
the curtains on the day' and this lovely lullaby-esque is the
perfect story to finish off and share a kiss goodnight. With soft,
gentle illustrations, animal mothers look up and share their love
with their babies. Lions, giraffes, koalas, even penguins show that
the bond between mother and child is deep, enduring and unbreakable.
It could start a chat about the individual and personal routines the
children follow - is an on-the-knees prayer still part of it? - as
well as being a perfect starter for focusing on Mothers Day and what
our mums do for us.
Little ones will love this and will want to make it part of their
go-to-sleep ritual every night.
Barbara Braxton
The Wombats at the Zoo by Roland Harvey
Allen & Unwin, 2014. ISBN: 9781743319048
(Age: 6-9) Highly recommended. Picture books. 2013 marked the 30th
anniversary of Roland Harvey's first published book and sixty years
since he created his first book! Many lucky folk were able to attend
his exhibition 'Roland Harvey: a Retrospective'. Roland has long
been one of Australia's favourite illustrators and his long list of
published works includes so many popular titles that one would be
hard-pressed to ignore their impact on the children and adults with
whom they have been shared. The Wombats at the Zoo is the second in a series created by
Roland about a class of quirky children and their teacher. The class
is off to the zoo with each child charged with obtaining information
about a specific topic and also writing a poem about an animal seen
during the outing. Beginning with the wonderful endpapers on which
each child is pictured with details about their favourite animal,
scariest animal and other little titbits, the reader is immediately
drawn into the action and becomes part of the class for the
duration.
With very recognisable RH flair, the illustrations are seemingly
simple but actually filled with minute details which beg close
examination. One can already see the heads bent over, picking out
the details such a miniscule pram underwater, baby fish a micro-copy
of its parent floating along for a daily 'walk' or the orang-utans
and meerkats holding up a sign 'Don't buy palm oil'. I particularly
love the Aussie animal enclosure with the myriad native birds from
spoonbills to brolgas (dancing of course!), herons to (very
delightful) pelicans.
As usual there is lots of wordplay '. . . the longest snake, the
Monty python, grows nearly nine metres long. . . . ' which could
easily lead into an activity with your class collecting or inventing
collective nouns, creating descriptions of a slightly whacky nature
and more. And of course, both written and visual humour, so typical
of Roland's work, is abundant.
Each 'Wombat' has a double page spread featuring their special
report and poem with the final double spread a 'seek' page to find
all the children as it's time to go home, with the endpage showing
each child with their 'show-and-tell' to follow up the excursion.
All in all, like all Roland's books it is great fun both for
independent reading and read-aloud, as well as a very useful
springboard to language activities with vigour and humour.
Sue Warren
The arrival by Shaun Tan
Hachette, 2014. ISBN 9780734415868
(Age: All) Highly recommended. Immigration, Refugees, Loneliness. A
stranger arrives in a strange land, leaving behind his wife and
daughter until he can send for them. He is one of many, moving like
robots through the immigration centre, finding work which casts him
in the same anonymous role. Tan shows clearly through this wordless
book, the disorientation of the new arrival, his efforts to fit in,
to assimilate, his search for work and lodgings. Each page shows a
strange language, impelling the readers to empathise with the
migrant, lost in an unknown and unfriendly city.
Tan's sepia drawings, looking like old photographs, encapsulate the
isolation of the new arrival. Repeated images of dislocation,
disorientation, loneliness and sorrow are found throughout the book,
the end papers having all of humanity shown in passport like
pictures staring at the reader.
The story is divided into six chapters, the first following the man
leaving, packing his suitcase while his wife and daughter accompany
him to the ship which will take him away. He is then found amongst
many others making that journey, sending letters like birds home to
their families. Next he is seen talking to others who have their own
stories of dislocation, sharing their experiences. The fourth shows
the work he is able to get, and his mind drifts into the reasons he
left, while the last chapter shows a positive future for the family
as those left behind prepare to follow. In between we see snippets
of those he befriends, people who share his experiences and help him
along his journey, with the darker tones of some illustrations
reflect the trauma of some of their stories. The image early in the
book of the man seeing his family in his suitcase is haunting (one
amongst many). Tan reprises some iconic images of migration, and the
use he makes of the unusual animal and the engineering works all add
another level of thought and discussion. There are images to share,
images to ponder, and above all to read and reread, gaining more
from each viewing. A New Arrivals class at Richmond Primary School
pondered over this book for weeks, taking it home, sharing it with
their parents and other members of their class. They spoke of it
with recognition: some children were from refugee camps, some from
detention centres, while some had arrived by plane. But they all had
one thing in common, being a new arrival in an alien land, and that
Shaun Tan has shown with incredible dexterity. This group of young
people all found themselves and their families in the faces in the
endpapers, their reasons for leaving their own country in some of
the stories shown. In a classroom, this book could be used as an
introduction to the theme of immigration, of difference, of starting
again, of refugees, of the nature of picture books, or looking at an
illustrator's skill.
This book won accolades around the world when first published: CBCA
Picture book of the year in 2007, NSW Premier's Award, 2007, WA
Premier's Prize, 2007, ABBA award 2007, Best Album Award, France,
2007.
To see it republished in a smaller, softcover edition reminds us
again of Tan's prodigious talents, and the need for books such as
these to be placed in front of readers of all ages.
When asked if this was about the refugee debate in today's
Australia, he responded,
'If The Arrival contributes to a public discussion at all,
it would be in reminding us that these issues are more than just
passing fodder for politicians and media.'
This book soars as it reflects all of our beginnings.
Fran Knight
