Books – Page 7 – Dianne Wolfer

Capel Library Anzac Evening

Last week, Susan Dalgleish and her team at the Shire of Capel Library organised a terrific Anzac event in conjunction with the Capel RSL. It was attended by a wide cross-section of the local population. Planning began last November with the amazing Lesley Jackes at an author event in Albany commemorating the Departure of the 1st AIF (see previous post).

Susan and the Capel Library staff are passionate about history and literacy. They created interesting displays and an inspirational program that began with local group, ‘The Wednesday Girls’ singing songs from the WW1 era to set the mood. Daniel McDonald from the 10th Light Horse arrived in full kit and brought along a life-size horse which was also kitted out with WW1 equipment. It’s always fascinating to see how much gear those strong Walers carried.

Members of the Capel RSL sub-branch including Vice President Alan Kelly Parker were on hand to answer questions and give introductions. We also heard a fascinating account of April Jenkins’ WW1 archaeological work in Jordan. I was very touched by Light Horse Boy book review readings by Jordi and Fraser Milner and also their mother, Naomi. Thanks guys.

The library boasted an impressive collection of WW1 postcards, books and mementos – many of which I coveted (especially those stirrups) !

Thanks to the library and RSL for a great event, and also for my gifts; a beautiful scarf, book and Anzac biscuits. Thanks to Georgie Carter for her help with book sales (way more than we expected) and to Tracey Doyle for hosting me so well at Capel Primary. Finally a big thank you to students Lily and Bradley for all your help. Meeting you both was a highlight! Keep reading and writing…

Breaksea Island on TV: Destination WA

A quick post to share the news that Tod and the team at Destination WA included a piece on Fay Howe and Breaksea Island. Follow the link below for more details .

Destination WA

Here is the previous link for ‘behind the scenes’ images Back to Breaksea

700 member book group!

Each year Moss Vale High School runs a wonderful literacy project called Kick Start Reading. With funds from a generous and supportive P & C as well as Federal grant money, the school gives every student and staff member a book. This year English teacher and program facilitator Adelle Morris chose Light Horse Boy. Everyone in the school reads the same book making this a huge book group that links the entire school.

Principal, Peter Macbeth, Adelle and other staff members had spent weeks preparing the students. I arrived in Moss Vale on Monday morning for 3 days of workshops and received a rock star welcome.

Day One: My first session was speaking with the Special Needs students. They introduced themselves, shared their work and had so many questions. They made me feel right at home.

Next, a full school assembly with special guests; RSL Vice President Eric Campbell and Rob Berman who wore full Light Horse uniform in honour of his family’s Light Horse connections. The Performing Arts students showcased their talents with a music, drama, dance performance inspired by Light Horse Boy. Their use of plain black clothing, dance and quiet gestures was powerful and I had to pinch myself to stop being teary.

My final Monday session was with articulate Year 11 Extension English students, discussing ‘inspiration’ and many other topics. By the end of Day One I was impressed by how teachers across different subjects had woven aspects of my story into the curriculum.

Day Two: I was in more familiar territory with Year 7 students, sharing my favourite Postcard Writing activity with links to Lighthouse Girl and Light Horse Boy. We ran out of time, but the drafts look very promising. Year 9 History students’ focus was ‘Symbols and Commemoration’. There were clear links to Light Horse Boy as there was with the Year 12 Extension history students’ focus of studying research techniques. I was so impressed by the Year 12’s ability to explain their diverse focus study topics, reporting on different aspects of approach. Their teacher James McGill was understandably very proud.

Between History groups, one of the students showed me his Braille version of Light Horse Boy. That was amazing. Thank you, Harrison.

On Tuesday I was also fortunate to have a sneak peek of the Aboriginal Ed students’ ‘8 ways’ project. Students are compiling artwork and stories based on traditional Gundungarra values into a book. We brainstormed ways to include a central character to link the 8 separate paths and I showed a title from the Wirlomin Noongar Language Project, Mamang. Thank you to the students and teacher Felicity for the signed copy of their first book. Day Two ended with an informal dinner with teachers, exchanging ‘six degrees of separation’ stories linking to my old Albury High School days…

Day Three: During roll call I joined the excited students poring over Paul Martin’s WW1 treasures. Paul of Australian Military History takes military artefacts to schools, sharing his passion and knowledge with the next generation. Paul has some amazing stuff. I still can’t believe I held a bugle from Beersheba.

Day Three: My first school sessions focusing on anthropomorphism. The Year 8 Ag Science students and I explored links to the WW1Walers and mascots taken to war. This was followed by a thought-provoking conversation with some very mature Year 10 girls. We discussed anthropomorphism as a literary technique and other aspects of writing.

Then I worked with primary students from different schools, focusing on the background to Light Horse Boy and partner title Lighthouse Girl. After saying goodbye to my new friends it was into the car and back to Canberra to catch an evening flight home to Western Australia.

I left feeling honoured that Moss Vale High School chose my book as their focus title for 2015. A highlight for me, besides meeting so many interesting people and being in this historic part of Australia as the autumn leaves were starting to turn, was seeing how the Kick Start program gives every member of a diverse school something in common. Each teacher helped his/her students explore an aspect of Light Horse Boy which linked to their subject area.

The Kick Start Reading project celebrates things in common rather than difference. What a wonderful opportunity for the leaders of tomorrow. Thank you Moss Vale 🙂

Kick off with Reading

Moss Vale High School have a fantastic program called Kick off with Reading. From what I can understand, it’s kind of like a whole school bookgroup, with every student reading the same book. What a great concept! I will know more soon because the book they have chosen this year is my Light Horse Boy.

I’m feeling so honoured and can’t wait to meet the students and their forward-thinking teachers next week. Here is a teaser from The Southern Highland News.

More soon…

Back to Breaksea Island – after 9 years…

It’s been nine years since I visited Breaksea Island in the very early days of my research for Lighthouse Girl. So much has happened since then…

When I last went out, the only way onto the island was via a swing ladder, then a hike from the jetty up to the lighthouse and cottages (just like Fay would have done to meet the monthly supply boat). Back in 2006, very little was known about Fay’s early life, but going to the island gave me a strong feeling for how things ‘might’ have been when she signalled to departing troops in 1914. After that first research trip, Lighthouse Girl took another three years to research and write.

Now there is a helicopter service to Breaksea, which makes things much easier! I was excited to go back to Breaksea with the team from Channel 9’s Destination WA to film a segment that will go to air on Sunday 16th April at 5.30pm on WIN and Channel 9 with presenter Tod Johnston.

The Albany weather was at its wild and woolly best. I didn’t think we’d be able to fly, but pilot Rainor of Skyhook Helicopters has nerves of steel. He is an amazing pilot. After multiple flybys of the helipad; which gave us great views of the cottages and lighthouse, Rainor decided it was safer to put us down on a granite slab further down the island.

The following clip shows how windy it was when we arrived. Forty knots plus.

We walked up the hill to the lighthouse, battling the wind to explore the ruin of the original lighthouse and the sturdy second lighthouse (now solar powered). After taking lots of photographs, fighting wind and rain to do an interview, we went down the hill to the restored lighthouse keeper’s cottages.

When I was at Breaksea in 2006 we camped overnight. I slept in a swag in the far room of the far cottage. I’ll probably never know which house Fay and her father lived in, but as I lay there listening to birds squawking in their burrows at night, I had such a strong sense of Fay having a link to the room I slept in. I had the same feeling this time.

I loved being in the cottage which might have been Fay’s, looking out the windows to views of Bald Head and the wild Southern Ocean, imagining again how her life might have been. Thanks to Keir Tunbridge for the photo of me in that room.

And also for this one of me and the lighthouse.

Thanks also to the intrepid team from Guru Productions for organising the trip. I can’t wait to see the complete story on Destination WA.

Hurrah for favourite book lists and hurrah for Jacqueline Harvey

Children’s authors and illustrators are a collegiate bunch. They often support each other and help new creators find a step on the publishing ladder. Organisations like SCBWI also offer ongoing fellowship and guidance.

Award-winning Jacqueline Harvey continues this generous tradition. After being invited by Dymocks to recommend her favourite books by Australian authors, she nominates nine. And I was thrilled to see that one of Jacqueline’s favourites is Granny Grommet and Me, my picture book about surfing grannies illustrated by the talented Karen Blair.

What a great way for Dymocks to support Aussie creators!

For many authors, unless initial sales are phenomenal, it’s hard to keep a title in a bookstore. After the first giddy months of a new release, when books are sold, they may not necessarily be re-ordered. Shops need to make space for new titles. If a book makes it onto a shortlist teachers and librarians feature it for Bookweek displays or other events, but there are so many books…

Publishers don’t always have time or funds to actively promote a backlist, so recommendations like this are helpful and can be a wonderfully eclectic mix. Looking at Jacqueline’s list, I was chuffed that several of her picks are also favourites of mine. I’m a Leigh Hobbs fan and so was honoured to be on a list with Mr Chicken goes to Paris. I also love Gus Gordon’s Herman and Rosie. Both books are quirky and fun, characteristics readers like about Granny Grommet and Me.

AM1_At_School_300px Jacqueline’s Alice-Miranda series is also quirky and fun with a strong and positive female heroine (like those real life Granny Grommets). Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief isn’t fun but the narrator (Death) could be described as quirky. Perhaps… It’s certainly an amazing book. Definitely one of my favourites.

During school visits, I’m often asked about my favourite books. There are so many and the answer varies depending on what I’m reading. I’ve just finished Nicholas Shakespeare’s Oddfellows but how can I compare that with LM Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables or Stan Wakefield’s Bottersnikes and Gumbles (I loved those Gumbles as a child). Each of these titles made an impact on me.

So perhaps the best answer is to alternate replies, nominating great books which I feel haven’t had the attention they deserve. With that in mind, tonight’s favourite (Sorry Harper Lee) is Samsara Dog by Helen Manos, illustrated by Julie Vivas. If you don’t know this beautiful picture book, it’s worth finding. The multi-layered storyline about love, life and death presents Buddhist teachings on reincarnation and Nirvana in a way that’s accessible to readers of all ages. The illustrations are joyful – I particularly love Dog with the Bikers. Best of all, it’s a lovely story.

Book Cover: Samsara Dog

Inspiring Giants – Final Day

Thousands packed the city on Sunday morning to see the Giants wake up (approximately 1.4 million people). The Lilliputians received a rousing welcome as they arrived at Langley Park on a double-decker bus.

The program began with a ceremony commemorating the Anzac Centenary. After waking to the sound of a didgeridoo, our large guests watched Don Watson, the son of Fay, Breaksea Island lighthouse keeper’s daughter, lay a wreath with his son and daughter.

Wreaths were also laid by Graham Edwards for RSLWA and by Premier Barnett.

My parents were keen to attend the commemoration and were ready to sit on the grass inside the fenced area, but at the last moment my sister found a bench beneath a shady tree; a perfect place to view the passing of the Giants and somewhere for my family and Don Watson’s to meet after the service. Peg and her daughters gave us handcrafted poppies which will be worn proudly on April 25th in Albany, Jindabyne and Albury.

After lighting the eternal flame and a minute’s silence, horses and riders of 10th Light Horse led the Giants on a final lap of Langley Park. After the kerfuffle of banning horses from marching in Albany last November it was wonderful to see the Light Horse riders in pride of place.

hhorse

The Diver’s big footsteps passed so close to us and we had a wonderful view of the Little Giant’s dance. I loved her bilum dilly bag. To make the Giants move, their Lilliputians fling themselves into the air like mediaeval bell ringers.

After their final walk, Don’s daughter, Denise, my sister and I crowd-surfed trying to get another glimpse of the Giants before they sailed away. With so many people, all we could see was a speck of smoke as the Giants’ barge reached The Narrows.

We farewelled Fay’s descendants and my daughter Sophie, then drove to Fremantle for a swim and coffee. As we crossed the old Freo bridge I happened to glance left. More magic… a giant-sized barge was docking at East Street Jetty and sitting proudly on top were the Giants, watching a flotilla of small craft and well-wishers sailing beside them.

The odds of crossing the bridge at that exact time and glancing left must surely be slim. We made a quick turn, stopped and had a perfect final view of the Little Girl and her Diver uncle. I love synchronicity and there have been many ‘spooky moments’ during the ten years since I first read about Fay signalling to the departing troops. The ‘luck’ of seeing the Little Girl Giant one last time, reminds me of Roald Dahl‘s words: “And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.”

It was an inspiring and overwhelming weekend. A time of chatting with strangers in the street, of celebrating special moments with loved ones from nearby and from afar. A time of a big, brash city sharing a sense of community. The Giants touched the hearts of people of all ages. Thank you to the sponsors and organisers. I was honoured to be part of it.

‘Two Giants’ by Eden May.

Inspiring Giants – a tender meeting and ‘that moment’

The best Arts events inspire controversy . But who would have thought in this age of religious tension, detention and blue ties that a little girl’s toilet break could inspire impassioned letters to the editor? It seems that public urination is a hot topic not just in Paris and Perth but also in Oklahoma . And my parents and husband were close enough to almost feel the splash! They’d perched at a table with a reserved sign amidst people they discovered were from Down South, but the table was actually reserved for Jean-Luc. By the time Karen and I arrived, the controversial moment was over, the asphalt was drying and everyone was enjoying a second drink…

The meeting of The Diver and the Little Girl a few hours later occurred against the impressive backdrop of The Swan River and included Noongar smoke cleansing for purity and cleansing and face painting.

The respectful ceremony was followed by the Little Girl Giant’s joyful airborne dance. This was a highlight of the weekend. I have a beautiful clip of the dance, but I’m still trying to work out how to load it (!) In the meantime, here are some other evocative images:

After the reunion, the Giants settled down for the night. The record player came out again and soon the Little Girl and her uncle were snoring. At last the hardworking and probably very hot Lilliputians were able to loosen their coats and relax before the final day…

Inspiring Giants – Day Two

Day Two, Saturday: Mum and Lionel were up early to reclaim their bench.

Meanwhile the rest of the family went to watch The Diver wake up. While waiting near the overpass we noticed people in the multi-storey carpark. We joined them and had a brilliant view of The Diver’s leap, accompanied by a stirring James Bond soundtrack.

The Diver even peered at us as he passed.

We gave him a wave, then raced through the crowd trying to get ahead of the parade so we could take up the amazing offer of being in ‘The Bubble’; a taped off area walking through the street just ahead of Diver. What a great opportunity. We took so many photos…

We followed The Diver to the park where he had his afternoon nap. The Lilliputians helped Diver remove his helmet then wheeled out a record player and put on a record to help him sleep. At least half the audience had no idea what the strange scratchy pre-disk music was. More ancient magic.

I loved the way both Giants snored.

We also needed a rest. By late afternoon everyone was ready to continue the journey. The Diver travelled through the city towards Langley Place.

Meanwhile the Little Girl Giant was looking for her uncle, The Diver. Where was he….

One of the things I loved most on Saturday was seeing people crowding city balconies and workers rushing from Royal Perth Hospital in their scrubs to catch a glimpse of The Giants. Babies in the crowd waved to them and even the blokes controlling the crowds felt the magic.

And then when the Giants found each other, things became even more special…

Inspiring Giants – Day One

Watching Royal de Luxe’s Giants walk through Perth was unforgettable especially with the knowledge that Lighthouse Girl provided inspiration for the Little Girl Giant’s story. It’s taken a week to catch my breath and sort through dozens of wonderful Giant photos, many taken by my photographer sister, Karen Davidson. Like many others, I followed the Little Girl Giant and The Diver through the streets of Perth for three days. Here is Day One…

After flying to Perth on Thursday I was met by my parents who’d driven across the Nullarbor from Albury. My sister and daughter also flew in to join the fun. For three days we became Giant Groupies. Our first sighting was Thursday evening when Karen and I saw Jean-Luc and his team making preparations at Langley Park. We stopped for a quick chat.

Friday: Mum and Lionel found the perfect bench outside their hotel.

Once they were settled Karen and I hotfooted to Langley Park to see the Little Giant wake up, have a shower and begin her search for The Diver. People of all ages were in the crowd. This sense of community and excitement is what I’ll remember most about the weekend.

The Little Girl Giant made her way through the city towards Wellington Square where hundreds of excited school children were waiting for her to arrive. Amongst the crowd were students from Kingsway Christian College. Their teacher Jo Pulsford is one of those unsung heroes who do everything they can to foster a love of literacy in children. Jo had arranged an interview with me, her students and The West Australian before a school visit the following week. We watched the Little Giant read a book made by children from WA schools before her afternoon nap.

When I went to buy a t-shirt from the merchandise tent I found that books had already sold out. More arrived later.

While the Little Giant slept, Karen and I walked into the city to look for The Diver. He was asleep near the train station and Lilliputian helpers were hosing his Dive suit to keep him cool. We were able to stand next to The Diver Giant and peer into his helmet. The features of his face were so real.

Somehow The Diver’s character has infused the wood. It reminds me of the way a violin develops a unique voice. When it’s played frequently and well, its sound becomes richer. The violin is wood, yet finds its own unique voice. The giants share this magic. Each has its own character. Stories are the same. For Don Watson and his family, Fay Catherine Howe is remembered as a mother and grandmother. For me, Fay has come alive in my imagination, a similar but separate person. I will always see her as a young woman standing on windy Breaksea Island waving to departing troopships.

Stay tuned for Saturday…

Don, son of Fay and his lovely wife Peg

For readers wanting to know more about the real Fay Catherine Howe, you might be interested in the article on page 14 of today’s West Australian newspaper. Don Watson, the son of Lighthouse Girl, Fay tells about his mother’s childhood; how waves would sometimes break over the lighthouse and how Fay would go out with a rifle to shoot mutton birds when the monthly supply boat was unable to get out to the island.

The article also features a photo of Don with his wife, Peg with some of the hundreds of scarlet poppies which Peg has crocheted to bind into a wreath for the Little Girl Giant. The links to Fay and the final moment when The Giants sail into the Swan River will be unforgettable for all of us.

The Giants are Coming…

On Friday 13th February The Giants will begin their journey through the streets of Perth. It feels like ages ago that I met Jean-Luc Courcoult and members of Royal de Luxe in a cafe’ in Albany. Thanks to everyone who has helped since then to ensure that these amazing Giants can be here. I’m honoured that Lighthouse Girl has been part inspiration for this exciting event. I’ll be in Perth all weekend watching their progress, so expect plenty of photos soon!

I’ve included an extract from the story, but please click on the link below to read it all.

The Story

One day, one of the community’s children brought her an old book full of drawings. It was dog-eared, crumpled, aged. It told the story of a little girl in a lighthouse full of love and sorrow, who watched soldiers leaving Australia on ships, carrying hope into lost battles. It was 1915 on the beaches of Gallipoli where the sand, reddened by the blood of men, frightened the moon. Through the book, the Little Girl Giant, as she looked at the sky, saw the past, the present and even the future.

Shopping time …

I’m very excited to announce that it’s now possible to buy e-versions of Lighthouse Girl and Light Horse Boy though the apple store. I’ve attached a link below.

Light Horse Boy is also currently being serialised in the West Australian newspaper each Tuesday as part of the Ed! supplement.

https://itunes.apple.com/au/artist/dianne-wolfer/id931550728?mt=11

Cocos 100 Commemoration of HMAS Sydney and SMS Emden

I was fortunate to attend the 100 year Commemoration of Australia’s first naval victory at the Cocos Islands. There were dignitaries and descendants of both German and Australian sailors. The battle between the Emden and Sydney is featured in my book Light Horse Boy, so this was a special occasion for me to visit the island and find out more. The main commemoration ceremony was marked by the ringing of the new friendship bells on November 9th 2014.

Between events I gave presentations and workshops to students at both Home and West Island campuses of Cocos Islands District High School. The younger children loved Granny Grommet and Me while the older students and I spoke about historical fiction. The students knew so much about their own history and so it was fun to show photos of the ships and Albany events linked to the convoy that passed their islands 100 years ago.

The staff and students of CIDHS were so welcoming, especially English and Library teacher Lee Hegarty, who organised my sessions, hosted me, took me sightseeing in her character-filled car, Roxy and introduced me to her friends and the friendly locals. Cocos is a horseshoe shaped atoll with amazing wildlife. Snorkelling with dolphins in clear turquoise water was wonderful.

The school’s motto ‘Kerja Sama dan Kejayaan’, means cooperation and achievement in Cocos/Malay and you can feel that spirit everywhere in the school. The students gave a respectful re-enactment of the Sydney-Emden battle as part of a Remembrance Day assembly. This was very moving for all who watched, particularly the visiting descendants.

Thank you to the Literature Centre and Coco Islands School for sponsoring this very special visit.

Christmas Island

After the busy Anzac Commemoration weekend in Albany, The Literature Centre had organised for me to visit Cocos Island District School the following weekend to give presentations linked to the 100 year Commemoration of the battle between HMAS Sydney and SMS Emden (more of that and their link to the Anzac convoy in the next post). An exciting outcome for me, was that Christmas Island District School asked me to visit them on the way…

Teacher-Librarian Sharon Francis organised my visit (as well as early morning snorkelling, kayaking and red crab hunting!) and I was touched by the enthusiasm of staff and students who prepared for my visit by reading all my books and creating linked art works to decorate the school. There were posters everywhere.

The students know almost everything there is to know about sea creatures, so Granny Grommet and Me and Scuba Kid were especially popular.

The Pre-Primary class began with a scene from Granny Grommet and created a story of their own – somehow a lot of pirates became involved…

Between sessions I was excited to see the beginning of the red crab season (and the teachers shared another crustacean for morning tea). Thank you to The Literature Centre for organising my visit and to Principal, Ian Francis and his lovely staff for making me feel so welcome. I had a wonderful time at Christmas Island District High School.

Albany Anzac Weekend # 3

As part of the Anzac Albany Commemorations, Paperbark Merchants hired the Albany Entertainment Centre to hold an In Conversation event with songwriter, Ted Egan and authors; Ross Coulthart, Roland Perry, Peter Fitzsimons and myself. ABC’s Gillian O’Shaughnessy was the facilitator.

We had an almost full-house. A lively discussion covered topics as diverse as animals at war, the legacy of Monash, WW1 battles and then Ted inspired us all with his evocative songs. I enjoyed getting to know these writers who, like me, are drawn to conflict as a theme in their writing. Our books are all very different and yet we had much in common. And, in regards to the photo above, I would like to point out that my165 cm height is the average for Australian women.

Maybe they were standing on something…

Albany Anzac Weekend # 2

The re-enactment of the departure of the troopships was a highlight of the weekend for me. As I stood on Mt Adelaide, I imagined Fay Catherine Howe standing on Breaksea Island one hundred years ago, watching the troopships of the 1st AIF convoy leave Australia. The video below captures some of the atmosphere…

If you look closely at the photo below you can not only see three naval ships, but also the submarine HMAS Rankin and a helicopter following them. Here is a link to a news article about the departure. While the troopships were leaving there was a ceremony to open the new National Anzac centre.

Albany Anzac Weekend # 1

What a weekend!

There was a buzz in the Albany community as the 100 year Anzac commemoration weekend approached with everyone keeping an eye on the sky. October weather in Albany is ‘unpredictable’ – to put it kindly, but the weather Gods were smiling. By Thursday evening building illuminations were beginning and for me, watching the ‘Lighthouse Girl’ story come alive on the side of St John’s church was a very moving experience. Brian Simmond’s charcoal illustrations and the old photographic images were accompanied by the haunting sound of Simone Keane’s beautiful song, ‘Life’s Ocean’.

Don Watson, the son of ‘lighthouse girl, Fay’ came to Albany on Thursday with his wife Peg and other family members. We walked together at Middleton Beach, saw the 30,000 poppies and were interviewed on Eoin Cameron’s radio breakfast show and Channel 10 news.

Then the formal commemorations began; the troop march and Anzac Service. Between events, pop-up stalls along Stirling Terrace had a range of Anzac related food and craft. On the stage there was music and performances by local school students. There were thousands of people in the streets with roads closed and so much happening, but no problems at all. I’d love to see Stirling Terrace closed for regular market days…

‘The Lighthorsemen’ and Roland Perry

Congratulations to the team at Albany Library for another wonderful event. Last night, before a screening of the classic Aussie movie The Lighthorsemen (complete with wine and popcorn), I spoke about my research for Light Horse Boy, including details about Sandy, the one Australian horse who came home from WW1 (New Zealand horse, Bess also came back). Reading the Beersheeba galloping scene (pgs 78-80) was fun as I don’t think I’ve looked at that part since proofing the final draft in 2012. As is often the case I saw a word I’d like to edit as I was reading, which is always disconcerting, but that’s another story… If anyone wants to read more about Sandy, there’s a short chapter in Anthony Hill’s terrific book for young readers, Animal Heroes.

Last night I was also excited to share some of my recent reading. I’m currently researching anthropomorphism in children’s literature for my PhD at UWA (more about that in future posts), and have found two loves; animal stories and WW1 stories combined in books by Roland Perry and Ion Idriess. Roland Perry will be in Albany next week for the commemoration of the 1914 Anzac departure and we will be In Conversation with other military authors/songwriters, Peter FitzSimons, Ted Egan and Ross Coulthart. I’ll be posting more about that next week, but in the meantime this site has all the latest info.

I had read Idriess’s Horrie the Wog Dog a while back, but had no idea until reading Perry’s Horrie the War Dog that there was another wonderful twist to this story. If you haven’t read these books, I really recommend both – but read Idriess first! Last week I also read Perry’s Bill the Bastard. What a terrific read. Again I’d read about ‘Bill’ years ago during my Light Horse Boy research and toyed with the idea of trying to shape the scene where Bill saves several men in battle into a picture book for young children. I could visualise the scenes so clearly, but how to get past the name; Bill the Bastard isn’t a book parents and primary teachers would rush to buy, but Bill the Naughty Horse didn’t work either!

Roland Perry has combined that pivotal scene with other fascinating details of this horse. It’s a great read. Next week I hope to post more details about the commemorations. Best till then, Dianne

New Website

di & james

Thank you to wonderful Website Wizard James Foley for overhauling my site and helping to drag me into the modern era. I’ll now be able to make regular blog entries with updates about my works-in-progress and events linked to my other books. I hope you enjoy following my progress…