My Donkey Benjamin

My Donkey Benjamin by Hans Limmer and Lennart Osbeck (Scribble) HB RRP $24.95 ISBN 9781925321234

Reviewed by Dianne Bates

Originally published in the late 1960s and currently in its 42^nd edition, this is a new English tradition of a modernist picture book classic. Illustrated throughout with clear black and white photographs, My Donkey Benjamin is told from the point of view of blonde-haired Susanne whom everyone calls Susi. Benjamin, who Susi calls Ben, is small like her, a baby donkey found by the girl and her father alone among rocks on Rhodes, near the Mediterranean Sea. Angelika, Susi’s baby sister, squeals with delight when toddler Susi and her dad bring home the donkey.

The book’s photos show the interior of Susi’s house with its white-washed walls and pebble floor where Ben seems to be allowed to have free reign. Susie lies across Ben, washes his face from a tub, ties white bandages on his head, and romps through the house. When the two are outdoors, the reader can see the dozens of Mediterranean houses and the sea beyond. At night Susi and Ben fall asleep in a makeshift bed – indoors, of course.

One day, Ben disappears, and of course Susi goes in search of him, and then the two are lost. Of course the book ends happily, both greeted at home by Mum and Dad.

This is a beautiful and engaging picture book sure to be enjoyed by small children being read to by their mum or dad.

My Pig Pauline

My Pig Pauline by Hans Limmer and David Crossley (Scribble) HB RRP $24.95 ISBN 978192532121241

Reviewed by Dianne Bates

Author Hans Limmer was born in 1926 but in 1960 he emigrated with his family to Greece where he lived on the island of Rhodes where this hardback picture book is set. The story is of Angelika who lives on Rhodes with her parents and sister Susi (who owns Benjamin the donkey, another charming tale by Limmer). A blonde-haired toddler, Angelika loves roaming the Mediterranean island with her favourite doll, Hippi. When she adopts a piglet named Paulina she finds in a small sack near the road, the two have lots of fun together. We see Paulina’s small pen, the pig rolling in mud (Angelika muddy, too), and Angelika on a trike, pulling Paulina along in a cardboard box. The little girl also dresses her pig in striped underpants.

Illustrated by president of the Houston Centre for Photography, David Crossley, there are numerous engaging photos such as the small girl and her pig friend are nose to snout, the two are racing through a field of flowers and chubby-faced Angelika lifting Paulina up from the cobblestones.

However, when a farmer wants to take Paulina away, Angelika knows she has to save her best friend. Equipping herself with supplies, she sets off with her pig to run away where they can’t be found. On the way to who knows where, the two meet a cow and a straggly-coated goat before arriving at some woods. Deeper in the woods Angelika finds a small cave. Of course little girls can’t be lost forever…

Like its companion classic bestseller book, My Donkey Benjamin, this is a picture book with compelling, naturalist photographs, sure to entertain and amuse children aged 5 to 7 years.

Creforce: The Anzacs and the Battle of Crete

Creforce: The Anzacs and the Battle of Crete by Stella Tzobanakis (Walker Books)

PB RRP $ 18.99

ISBN 9781742030821

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Creforce was the name of the Commonwealth and Allied Forces of Crete. This reissue from The Drum series concentrates on the Australian and New Zealand Forces that took part in the historic ten-day Battle of Crete. It also covers the invasion of the Greek mainland, and includes an expansive history of WW2 during those catastrophic times.

  

The Battle of Crete was fought in May 1941, when German paratroopers fell from the sky, with the ANZAC, British and Greek units defending the island. The Germans encountered mass resistance from the island’s population. The Cretan’s knowledge of the mountains and their ability to survive there indefinitely proved to be their greatest weapon against the German invaders.

Lack of food forced soldiers to depend on the charity of strangers. What little they had was shared with the soldiers. Whole villages paid if a person was discovered harbouring an enemy of the Germans. The accounts of the Allied soldiers’ heroic attempts to fight with a shortage of guns and ammunition, in tattered clothing and shared boots, is deeply moving.

The statistics here are amazing. The layout is terrific. Its informative fact boxes include biographies of famous people associated with the Greek Resistance. Archival photos appear throughout the book. Customs, traditions, language, music, and past history of the island form the background of this comprehensive narrative on the invasion of Greece and Crete during WW2.

Five Times Dizzy and Dancing in the ANZAC Deli

 Five Times Dizzy and Dancing in the ANZAC Deli by Nadia Wheatley (Lothian/Hachette)
PB RRP $16.99
ISBN: 9780734413819
Reviewed by Hilary Smillie

Nadia Wheatley wrote these two excellent books in 1982 and 1984 respectively. They are now considered classics and for this 30^th anniversary edition, Lothian have combined the stories in one book. Five Times Dizzy received the New South Wales Premier’s Special Children’s Book award in 1983. In 1986, it was adapted into a twelve-part television series for children. Dancing in the Anzac Deli was commended in the 1985 Australian Children’s Book of the Year Awards, and in 1986 received the IBBY Honour Diploma for writing.

Inspired by Nadia’s experiences of living in Greece as well as in the Sydney suburb of Newtown, the stories are centred around Mareka and the Wilson kids who live in Smith Street, Newtown. In the first book, Mareka is troubled about her Yaya (grandmother), a short stout lady dressed in black the Greek way, who misses her village in Crete and especially Poppy the goat. When Mareka is not helping out at her dad’s delicatessen, she is pondering what she could do to make Yaya happy. Then there is the rivalry between herself and the Wilson kids who spend their time laughing and whispering about her, especially Patricia who is around the same age as Mareka. Jenny Wilson who is eight likes M’reka but if Mareka plays with her, the others in the gang snigger even more. But their mum is nice and both families want the kids to be friends.

At last Mareka hits on the idea of buying Yaya a goat. She needs to raise the money but her best efforts leave a shortfall. When someone accidentally betrays her secret in front of the Wilsons, it looks as if Mareka’s plan will fail until Mrs Wilson comes up with a great fundraising idea. Not only is it successful but it brings the whole street together. Love and friendship abounds and Mareka and Patricia are wary friends.

Peppered with a lot of Greek words and references, this romp of a story about Greek immigrants adapting to the Australian way of life is inspiring, informative and fun.

Dancing in the Anzac Deli continues the lives of the Smith Street crowd. One morning Mareka comes into the delicatessen to find the window has been smashed and new glass is being installed. Her parents appear tense and unhappy, and a Greek called The Munga, a creepy, sinister man, visits her father and appears to be the reason behind her parents' anxiety.

The Munga works for the Red-Headed Man who wants to take over the delicatessen to use as a second-hand fridge shop. The local councillor, Kyrios Graham, knows he is a bad lot, using the fridge business as a front for other deals - protection money and bribes to name a few. The Red-Headed Man uses The Munga to scare people into doing what he wants, which is why the Anzac Deli's window was smashed.

When the Smith Street children find that the empty Haunted House they play in has been rented out and now has a Trespassers will be Prosecuted sign in the front, they go to see Alderman Graham to plead for his help. But it is hard to find a loop-hole to enable Graham to rid Newtown of the two thugs.

Nadia Wheatley weaves a very enjoyable and action-packed story, giving a wonderful insight into the Nikakis family and their Greek superstitions and tales which the Aussie children of Smith Street find fascinating. One such superstition saves the day, and the whole street rejoices by dancing in the Anzac Deli.

These are two immensely entertaining stories kids will relate to easily and learn about another culture into the bargain.