The Last Light Horse

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Written by Dianne Wolfer
Illustrated by Brian Simmonds
Published by Fremantle Press, April 2022

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from your local bookshop or from
Fremantle Press (Australia)
Booktopia (Australia)
Book Depository (UK)
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Listen to Dianne read the first page.

About

There were 136,000 Australian horses sent to fight during the First World War. Just on came home. From the high country of Victoria to the desert sand of Egypt, from the waters off Gallipoli to the battlefields of France, this is the extraordinary story of Sandy, the only returning warhorse.

The fourth and final book in the Light series, which began with Lighthouse Girl and includes the CBCA shortlisted Light Horse Boy.

Teachers’ Notes

Reviews

Better Readings has nominated The Last Light Horse as its Kids Book of the Week. Here are a few snippets from their review: Dianne Wolfer’s Light series is a standout historical book series for kids … The Last Light Horse is a fantastic conclusion to the series and a heartfelt look at an unsung hero … With an educational focus and breathtaking illustrations, this is one inspiring story of courage and sacrifice, perfect for fans of Stephen Spielberg’s War Horse.
The Last Light Horse does a brilliant job in evoking strong emotions from the reader using many different mediums … This book will be a fantastic addition to libraries everywhere and especially to school libraries when the curriculum looks into the First World War. Sarah Custance, StoryLinks.
I rated this book five stars out of five because it shows Australia’s perspective of the war and has beautiful illustrations. It should be for people interested in history to read. Gabriel, aged 11, Alphabet Soup.

More activity sheets.

Illustrations

I rarely make suggestions for illustration, however this story is so close to my heart, that I had fun scribbling a few ideas to share with Fremantle Press Children’s Publisher, Cate Sutherland. Working with Brian Simmonds again was great and luckily he’s a lot more skilled than me.