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One of the best little museums in Australia is tucked away on a cattle farm along WA’s south-west coast. Recollections of War, run by John and Kathryn Shapland, showcases military memorabilia, but their driving passion is discovering the stories behind the historical objects they collect. And those stories are not just human… I visited the… continue reading »
In my previous post, The Bilby versus the Bunny, I wrote that in Australia our relationship with rabbits is complex. With Easter just a few days away, today’s post features The Rabbits by John Marsden and Shaun Tan, an extraordinary, thought-provoking title. At first glance, this award-winning book looks like a kids’ title, and it… continue reading »
Are you in the Easter Bunny or Easter Bilby camp? Last year I shared a blog featuring five bilby books, so this year it’s the bunnies’ turn. In Australia our connection with rabbits is complex. As an introduced species, rabbits are a pest that threatens native wildlife. This is reflected in literature; compare the sweet… continue reading »
During these strange, Covid-days, I’ve found that reading about free-ranging wolves has been strangely comforting. Wolves are great characters; across cultures they’ve long been symbols of fear and badness. Authors such as Kate Forsyth and Amelia Starling have written about their metaphoric use in folk stories, warning women not to talk to strangers in the… continue reading »
Have you noticed people wearing purple poppies on February 24th? Or veterans wearing purple poppies alongside their red ones on Remembrance Day? Purple poppies honour the animals that served alongside humans during wartime. Follow this link to find out more about purple poppies. And a selection of books featuring wartime animals can be found on… continue reading »
Which zodiac animal are you? In traditional Chinese astrology, 2021 is the Year of the Metal Ox. I’m an Ox person. As a child, Ox seemed the most boring zodiac animal to be, but this year steadiness feels like a good quality to aspire to. A more peaceful year ahead is predicted and I hope… continue reading »
Author Orhan Pamuk said, “Dogs do speak, but only to those who know how to listen.” Both Shaun Tan and Eva Hornung are listening carefully. Their beautifully crafted books, Dog and Dog Boy share deep and unusual understandings of the dog-human bond. “No matter what future meets our planet … ” Shaun Tan says, ” …… continue reading »
Do dogs in the White House influence politics? It seems the answer could be yes. This fascinating article explores how mixed-breed Pushinka may have averted a Cold War nuclear catastrophe in the early 1960s. And check out this thought-provoking YouTube clip: dog lovers for Joe. You can’t fake a relationship with a dog, and showing… continue reading »
I’ve never read anything like this. Laura Jean McKay‘s novel is like anthropomorphism on steroids… I loved it. A strange pandemic is moving outwards from Australian cities (timely) and infected people can understand animals. This should be fascinating, but what the animals are saying isn’t that nice, and people are losing their minds. Jean, the… continue reading »
Thousands of Australian animals went to World War One. There were dogs, cats, cockatoos, kangaroos, wallabies, a rooster called Jackie and even a koala whose name was Teddy. These animal mascots helped cheer the homesick soldiers, but just one animal returned. Working animals also went to war; carrier pigeons, horses, and donkeys. Of the 136,000… continue reading »
Dianne is the award-winning author of 19 books for children and teenagers.
Her PhD research into the Crafting of Animal Characters in Australian Children’s Literature resulted in two novels, Dog with Seven Names and Shark Caller. The latter, a cross-cultural quest novel, was a CBCA Notable and shortlisted for WAYRBA. The former, also a CBCA Notable, won the Speech pathology awards, was shortlisted for the NSW Premier’s Awards and will be published in China.
