Guinea Pig Town and Other Animal Poems

Guinea Pig Town and Other Animal Poems by Lorraine Marwood (Walker Books)
PB RRP $16.95
ISBN 9781922077424
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Lorraine Marwood, the winner of the 2010 Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Children’s Fiction for her novel Star Jumps, has lived most of her life on a dairy farm. Being close to nature has nurtured a strong bond with her surroundings and made her senses alert to every living, moving thing. This is visible in every word and its nuance in her new poetry book, Guinea Pig Town and Other Animal Poems.

Welcome to this ‘eat and drink garden’ of ‘so many flying objects’ that will ‘never collide’. It is a brand new collection of ninety poems on 141 pages, under seven headings. They are interesting, intelligent and insightful poems that entertain whilst presenting to the reader, an intimate view of animals and insects, their surroundings and unusual habits.

Poetry is a magical medium that demands skill from the writer for its message to be relayed to the reader. Marwood is a gifted wordsmith whose clever use of assonance and alliteration has added a musical rhythm to every piece in the book.

These poems are suitable for ages 8-108.

Event: Prime Minister’s Literary Awards

The National Library of Australia is hosting an event for members of the public to meet the authors, poets and filmmakers shortlisted for the 2012 Prime Minister’s Literary Awards. You’re invited to a celebration of great Australian writing and a conversation about the writing life where you will be among the first to find out who’s won the Awards. Shortlisted authors will be available to sign copies of their books.

Young adult fiction shortlist:

·                                 A Straight Line to My Heart, Bill Condon

·                                 Being Here, Barry Jonsberg

·                                 Pan’s Whisper, Sue Lawson

·                                 When We Were Two, Robert Newton

·                                 Alaska, Sue Saliba

      Children's shortlist:

·                                 Evangeline, The Wish Keeper's Helper, Maggie Alderson

·                                 The Jewel Fish of Karnak, Graeme Base

·                                 Father's Day, Anne Brooksbank

·                                 Come Down, Cat!, written by Sonya Hartnett and illustrated by Lucia Masciullo

·                                 Goodnight, Mice!, written by Frances Watts and illustrated by Judy Watson

Where: National Library of Australia Theatre

When: 12 noon, Monday 23 July

Cost: Free

Bookings: 02 6262 1271 or http://events.nla.gov.au

A Straight Line to My Heart

 A Straight Line to My Heart by Bill Condon (Allen & Unwin)

PB RRP $17.99

ISBN 9781742377308

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Bill Condon was the winner of the Prime Minister's Literary Award in 2010. In this outstanding, perfectly crafted novel, he showcases simple, everyday bits and pieces of life. His unique characters are engaging and lovable. The one-scene appearances of minor characters are perfect gems. But it’s Reggie, a priceless, dinky-di Aussie that leaves the reader in stitches with his clever one-liners.

Tiffany is ordinary in appearance and bookish. Her family came to her indirectly after her mother’s death. Reggie, the oldest member is like a grandfather; Bull, is her father figure. When Nell, Reggie’s wife died, the two men coped very well raising a child they adored.

Kayla, Tiffany’s best and only friend, is willowy and stunning. Her home life is also unconventional. Her pregnant, pokie-loving mother lives with a younger man who adores her and her brood. Kayla has to fight the boys off while Tiffany dreams of love that seems never to reach her.

High School is over. With the summer stretched out before them the girls have lots of time to consider their future. Great changes are in store for both of them; all life-changing, some heartbreaking.

Tiffany gets work experience at the local newspaper hoping that this will open doors to a future in journalism. But Gungee Creek doesn’t offer many options, for there is ‘nothing much in Gungee Creek, not even a creek’.

Tiffany’s time at the newspaper is anything but fun. She is plagued with insecurities and nothing and no one is as she had expected. But she is forced through circumstance to see things from a different perspective. She experiences loss once again, but love comes softly when she meets someone as ordinary as herself who sees how extraordinary she really is.

Condon’s characters could be any person with their own life story. This life is often measured by others based on a thin slice of knowledge, when so much more makes up the whole than that slice, for lives are built from stories upon stories upon stories. This is a book about those stories; about humanity, love, loss, grief and growing up. It comes highly recommended.