The Man Who Stood Up to Ned Kelly

The Man Who Stood Up to Ned Kelly by Katrina Roe and Krista Brennan (Wombat Books) PB HB RRP $27.99 ISBN 9781761112423

Reviewed by Karen Hendriks

You know about Ned Kelly, but do you know about a brave man called Reverend John Gribble who stood up to Ned Kelly about what was the honourable and right thing to do?

Katrina Roe is an Australian children’s picture book author, book reviewer, podcaster and media professional. Her books often help children deal with childhood issues. Marty's Nut-Free Party was shortlisted for the Speech Pathology Book of the Year Award. Emily Eases Her Wheezes was named a Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Notable Book and Lily's Balloon won the CALEB Prize.

Krista Brennan is a freelance illustrator, artist and art teacher who uses watercolour, ink and oils. She loves her art to tell stories. Her Rhiza Press books include Archie Appleby: The Terrible Case of the Creeps, Once, Amira’s Magpie and Boots.    

Katrina Roe introduces children to Reverend John Gribble’s extraordinary bravery. This matters because children are often told to do the right thing, and his actions show that. The opening two sentences immediately hook the reader. I bet you have heard of this person, Ned Kelly. He was Australia’s most notorious bushranger. Facts are shared naturally and smoothly so a younger reader can easily absorb the information. In the past, a church minister was the social anchor of a bush town and a community leader; this rare story shares this too.

Simple and compound sentences help the story flow smoothly. Dialogue shows Gribble’s strength and personality. ‘It’s not very gentlemanly to steal a woman’s horse,’ Gribble said. His story does not end with the Kelly Gang. But for the rest of his life, he stood up for people who were being badly treated. It also reveals that Gribble helped Aboriginal people who were exploited by white settlers. The well-written back matter is a great resource.

Krista Brennan’s colour palette is perfect for this era of Australian history. Muted browns, greens, yellows, blues, sepia feature. The illustrations are a window into past clothing, housing, furniture, buildings, roads, transport and banks. Facial and body expressions show emotions and individual personalities. The cover immediately draws attention with Ned Kelly and John Gribble facing off each other in the foreground and the town and people behind.

The Man Who Stood Up to Ned Kelly is written for children 4-10 years but is well suited for primary school aged children. It is a wonderful educational tool for teaching the themes of bravery, respect, and standing up for others. It’s not okay to steal from others and I love that this is shared in a book.

Lily's Balloon

Lily's Balloon by Katrina Roe and illustrated by Helene Magisson
(Wombat Books) https://www.wombatbooks.com.au/index.php/lily-s-balloon HB RRP $20.00 ISBN: 978-1925563399

Reviewed by Lucinda Gifford

"When Lily finds a beautiful, big, shiny balloon she wants to keep it forever. But what if somebody else needs it more?"

This is a gentle, philosophical book which guides us towards looking beyond ourselves to see the bigger picture. Lily loses her balloon, but her spirits soar as she watches it drift out towards the clouds, 'dancing on the wind'.  The balloon's journey raises the spirits of two other children, each unaware of the balloon's overall 'story', of who it will encounter and what its future will be.

This is a perfect book for talking about how we are all connected, the deeper meaning of objects, and how our actions, and our journey, affect others.

Talented illustrator Helene Magisson has created wonderful illustrations, which are gentle, atmospheric and well suited to the story. The spreads are lovely: varied and elegantly paced.

Lily’s Balloon won the pitching competition at the CYA Festival in 2014. Perhaps the story itself drifted a little while, until it found a home with Wombat Books. It will be interesting to see where Lily's balloon' goes next!

Emily Eases Her Wheezes

Emily Eases Her Wheezes
by Katrina Roe, illustrated by Leigh Hedstrom (Rhiza Press) HB RRP $19.99                                             
Reviewed by Dianne Bates

It’s said that Australian children have one of the highest rates of asthma in the world so this picture book should find a way into many homes. Like most small children, Emily the Elephant is full of energy but she’s an asthmatic. Numerous factors bring on breathlessness – air pollution, dust, having a cold and chilly weather. These times the little elephant is side-lined and must watch her playmates or remain indoors. As well, when she’s coughing and wheezing, she has to use her puffer (which the illustrator has sensibly shown is used with a spacer). The one exercise in which she succeeds is swimming, an activity decided by her friends, Marty the Monkey, Gemma Giraffe, Zac the Zebra and Little Lion Luke. The implication of Emily’s swimming is that her lungs grow stronger and stronger as a result. The outcome is that she enters – and wins -- a swimming race.

At the end of the book there is a three page note to parents and carers about asthma. This is followed by two sets of fly pages. Yes, it’s important for parents to know about the effects of asthma on a child, but is a children’s picture book the place to impart such information? I would have preferred more development in the story – perhaps showing Emily’s asthma getting so severe she needs medical attention. This would give a parent sharing the reading of the book an opportunity to prepare his/her child for a visit to a GP or to hospital. Children should be aware of preventative medication (not mentioned in the book) and how important it is in the treatment of a disease which can be deadly if not correctly monitored.

Other than the wasted fly pages, this is a well-designed book with colourful illustrations and text printed on gloss paper. The cover which shows Emily in a swimming costume and equipped with her inhaler, is eye-catching. This book would best suit children aged 4 to 6 years.

 

 

 

 

Marty's Nut-free Party

Marty's Nut Free Party by Katrina Roe, illustrator Leigh Hedstrom (Wombat Books)

HB RRP $19.95

ISBN 978-1-921633-36-2

Reviewed by Jacque Duffy

  

This book is suitable for pre-school aged children learning to read, older children and families. Marty's Nut-free Party is a fun looking book with colourful, clear illustrations inviting the reader to join the fun of the party.

The main character Marty loves going to parties. He is invited to all of them; he is always the first to arrive and the last to leave. That is until Marty discovers that peanuts make him sick, very sick. The story is well written and easy for young children to comprehend the dangers those children with allergies face and how easily they can find themselves in trouble. There is a extremely important message in this story wrapped in a very enjoyable read. The illustrations in this book are such that a non reader could understand the message in this story without it read to them.

Whilst reading this book to young children those parents (like myself) who have not come in contact with food allergy sufferers will now hopefully put more thought and care in the preparation of future party foods and school birthday cakes and lunches.

Even though this book contains a serious message reading this book together before lights out will be an enjoyable experience for the parent and the child. For Parents and Carers there are notes in the back of the book explaining more about allergies.

Jacque Duffy is the author and illustrator of the series ‘That’s not a …” learn to read books used in all Queensland State Primary Schools and one local history coffee table book.

www.jacquesartandbooks.com