War Horse

War Horse by Michael Morpurgo (Egmont UK)

ISBN 978-1-4052-7188-2

PB $14.95 RRP

Reviewed by Nean McKenzie

First published in 1982, this special edition of War Horse has been reprinted for the centenary of World War one, with a new introduction by the author. The book was already well known, being the basis of the 2011 Stephen Spielberg movie (nominated for several Oscars and BAFTAs) and a highly acclaimed international stage show. War Horse is a story for children aged 10+ about a horse who goes to war, told from the unique perspective of the horse.  

The story starts off on a farm in Devon where a young horse is bought home to fifteen year old Albert, by his drunken father. There is an immediate bond between Albert and Joey, as he calls the horse, which develops into an unbreakable  friendship. However when war breaks out, Albert's father sells Joey to the army and he is shipped off to the trenches in France. Albert is broken hearted but vows to find his horse again when he is old enough to enlist.

In France, Joey sees battle, injury, death and finds friends on both sides of the trenches. He pulls carts of wounded soldiers and ends up in No Man's Land, where the soldiers stop fighting so he can be rescued. Being a horse, Joey has the ability to understand people no matter whether they are English, French or German, so transcends language barriers. Although in parts a very sad story, eventually Joey is reunited with Albert and the book does have a heart-warming ending.

Through the very effective character of Joey, the concepts and hard truths of war are explored in an adventure type story. The writing has some denser passages and longer words, which may not suit all young readers, but this style fits in with the historical tone. A highlight of this war story is that it is told from such a neutral perspective, which could be an important reason for its continued popularity.  Over a million copies of War Horse have sold since 2007. 

Gallipoli

Gallipoli by Kerry Greenwood, illustrated by Annie White (Scholastic Press)

HB RRP $24.99

ISBN 978-1-74362-129-5

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Anzac Day honours the Anzacs who, among other campaigns, fought for a small area of land on the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey. Written by Kerry Greenwood, Gallipoli tells the story of Bluey and Dusty, close mates who are among the lucky ones to make it home at the end of the campaign. 

This is a well-written and wordy story which explores the issues of bravery, hardship, fear, humour and mateship. With much more text than is usual in a picture book, this is suitable for primary aged children. It includes interesting detail such as Simpson and his donkey Duffy, the Roses of No Man's Land (nurses), and the battles at Gaba Tepe and Lone Pine. 

The writing creates a little distance between the events and the reader. The story is more about what happens than a more personal account:

In between the fighting, an unexpected bond began amongst the exhausted enemies. They worked together to bury the dead and swapped gifts instead of gunfire.   The diggers offered bully beef, and the Turks gave fruit and sweets in return.

The emotion is in the pictures. Annie White's illustrations are watercolour, unusually soft and gentle for depictions of war. And it is the people who dominate these illustrations. Here, human emotions are beautifully expressed and shine strongly through. As well as full paged illustrations, White has painted sepia photographs, complete with photo corners, which run throughout the story, creating a feeling of a personal photograph album. These begin inside the front cover and continue all the way to the end pages where more recent photos of family round out a life story.

Between the text and the illustrations, a story of Aussie mateship, humour and stoicism is portrayed, making this a tale of Australians at Gallipoli with memories which can be shared with younger children as well as older.    

Archie’s War: My Scrapbook of the First World War

Archie’s War: My Scrapbook of the First World War by Marcia Williams (Walker Books)

PB RRP $16.95

ISBN 9781406352689

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Archie Albright receives a scrapbook from his uncle for his tenth birthday in April, 1914.The entries end when he is 15 years old, in 1919. Full of fold-out cards and letters, clippings from newspapers, and posters of the era, we get a view of the First World War through Archie’s life, and his family members’ experiences.

Archie’s love of comics inspires the comic characters and drawings that make up this amazing scrapbook. It’s funny, clever, and imaginative. The humorous captions and banners present the harsh reality of war in a light-hearted (if possible) way. It allows children to learn the history of the war; the conditions the men fought in, and at the same time experience visually and verbally, how difficult life was for the people left behind at home in London.

This book won the UKLA (United Kingdom Literacy Association) Book Award. It is a reissue of the 2007 publication, and is suitable for all ages. The illustrations are highly detailed. The entire presentation is exceptional. Marcia Williams excels at creating books that appear like personalized journals and scrapbooks. She is the author of the outstanding Lizzie Bennet’s Diary.

Jack’s Bugle

Jack’s Bugle by Krista Bell, illustrated by Belinda Elliott (Windy Hollow Books)

HC RRP $25.99

ISBN 9781922081292

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Innocent about the meaning of war and looking for adventure along with so many others, Aidan Jackson, known as Jack, sets out for Gallipoli with his bugle. He becomes best mate to Harry, who later brings Jack’s bugle home.

This book is a salute to the men at Anzac Cove. It’s a hymn to the mateship and camaraderie shared in the sands of Egypt, and the trenches. And amidst the bullet fire, it’s always mates looking after mates with loyalty and sacrifice.

Ever present in the story is the bugle; Jack’s Bugle, that brought something singular to the men at Gallipoli and which remained along with a bent photo, the only reminder for Harry of his friend.

Krista Bell has again used a single object - the bugle - to create an interesting reflection on the war that was to end all wars. The story of the bugle is in itself a whole separate tale, uncovered at the end. These books are treasures and serve to remind us Lest We Forget.

Outstanding watercolour illustrations by Belinda Elliott take the reader back to the time and place perfectly with her perceptive translation of the text.

Along the Road to Gundagai

Along the Road to Gundagai by Jack O’Hagan, illustrated by Andrew McLean (Omnibus Books)

HB RRP $24.99

ISBN 978-1-86291-979-2

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Although the words of this song are familiar to me, I had no idea of the wistful story representing young men sent to the first Word War which lies behind the lyrics. This book tells the story of a young soldier in World War I who is injured and hospitalised. Through this he relives memories of home. And it is through the illustrations that we get the emotions which go deeper than the jaunty, happy song seems to suggest on the surface.

Andrew McLean uses charcoal and watercolour to create these pictures, then scans and colours them on an iPad. His powerful images contrast the dark, heavy depictions of war with the lighter, rosier memories of home. There are many such contrasts within the pages. A constant eerie glow hangs over the war scenes while the pictures of home have a sunrise shine to them. There is a fabulous illustration of young soldiers washing in a creek near a bombed out building, then the next page shows children playing freely in the waters of the Murrumbidgee River. And the use of horses is a theme which runs throughout, creating a further divide between war and peace.

O’Hagan, a prolific Australian song writer, wrote Along the Road to Gundagai in 1922 and it was an instant success. Even if you think you know this song well, read the book and see it with a new perspective.

This is an excellent book with beautiful illustrations but keep in mind that, although a picture book with a simple concept, some of the illustrations are powerful and could be frightening for very young children. It is ultimately a story about war and as such depicts scenes from the battlefront.

Simpson and his Donkey

Simpson and his Donkey by Mark Greenwood, illustrated by Frane Lessac (Walker Books)

PB RRP $16.95

ISBN 9781921529542

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

The heroic life and death of Jack Simpson and his donkey is presented again by husband and wife team Mark Greenwood and Frane Lessac. It starts with Jack’s life before he sailed for Australia, then aboard as a stoker. His working history shows us the man he was, and how easy it was for Jack to serve ‘king and country’ when the war broke out. 

But fear replaced the sense of adventure that many soldiers set out with, when the fighting started on the ‘razorback ridges’. Jack was working tirelessly carrying wounded to the boats to be evacuated, when he came upon a stray donkey which he named Duffy. Thus they became Simpson and his donkey.

This immortal story has been brought to life again through Greenwood’s ability to tell a great tale, and make it sound fresh and new. Lessac’s insightful illustrations fit like a glove around Greenwood’s words. Detailed and expressive, each full page illustration gives up all of Simpson’s bravery, determination and courage, as he carries water to thirsty troops, and makes the return journey with a wounded soldier on Duffy’s back. One of them being his childhood friend Billy.

It also gives us a clear picture of Gallipoli and the conditions the men experienced there. It’s a salute to this part of Australian history that is in our hearts and memories.

Simpson was admired and respected as ‘the bravest of the brave’ due to his humanity. He died the way he lived - always doing what was right, and serving others. He was buried at Hell Spit. We must also reflect as we turn each page of this beautifully illustrated edition with its poetic prose, on all that we are because of Gallipoli.

Lest We Forget.

Gallipoli: Reckless Valour

Gallipoli: Reckless Valour by Nicholas Brasch (black dog books)

PB RRP $17.95

ISBN 9781742030258

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

With an entirely unique approach to presenting the Gallipoli campaign, Nicholas Brasch has broken down the information into easy to understand divisions. He asks a question, and then answers it in comprehensive detail.

This is a wonderful reference book for young readers, and others of any age who are looking to understand the main structure of why WW1 was declared, and what happened next. It explains in easy to follow fact boxes, the main points of how and why Australian soldiers were sent to Gallipoli, why so many died, and what the outcome of the campaign was. It also tells us why Anzac Day is commemorated on April 25.

The contents are visual as well as informative. With photos and images from the Australian War Memorial, there are maps, posters and a glossary of terms for clarification. Other words highlighted within the text are also included in the glossary.

Aaron Pegram from the Australian War Memorial has done a fact check of this book, which is beautifully designed with an excellent layout of information and visuals.

The Poppy

The Poppy by Andrew Plant (Ford Street Publishing)

HB RRP $26.95

PB RRP $16.95

HB ISBN 9781925000313

PB ISBN 9781925000320

Reviewed by Francine Sculli

The Poppy is a war story close to home, but a war story largely untold. Poetic language wraps around this historical story, delivering a picture book that is full of importance and remembrance and tells of the soldiers who have given up their lives to protect people and places.

The Poppy is an ANZAC story. Andrew Plant tells of the desperate night counter-attack in the small French village of Villers-Bretonneux in 1918. On this night, Australian soldiers fought hard to protect the village and its people, stopping the enemy breaking through and pushing them back. It was one of Australia’s greatest victories, as soldiers succeeded in recapturing the village from the Germans. But it was also a victory, like many in war, which came with great loss. Hundreds and hundreds of soldiers, mostly Australian, died holding the line, their blood shed across the fields.

Plant tells the story beautifully. He tells of the battle, but he also speaks of the unbreakable bond forged between Australia and France during the battle. Statues, crosses, woodcarvings of Australian plants and animals and many unnamed plaques of all the unknown soldiers, pepper the landscape and dot the hills. The children of the village know the stories. Australian and French flags fly side by side. These stories are painted throughout the pages; bright and vibrant illustrations lyrically depict the village resurrected after the war.

Plant’s language is accessible, simple in its retelling but poetic in its delivery. The visual imagery he creates with his words is impeccable, like the vision of the poppies and their petals that “turn the fields red where once they were stained with the blood of the fallen.”

The Poppy is a book of remembrance and togetherness; a book about the sacrifices that are made in war and the people that never forget these. It’s a book perfect for primary school readers and one that belongs in the history section of every library. With ANZAC Day fast approaching, this book will be an imperative read in schools across Australia.  

Midnight: the story of a light horse

Midnight: the story of a light horse by Mark Greenwood, illustrated by Frane Lessac (Walker Books)
HC RRP $27.95
ISBN 9781921977718
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

This narrative non-fiction picture book tells the tale of Lieutenant Guy Haydon and his beloved horse Midnight. The mare was born at midnight, thus her name. Guy trained her and together they travelled to Cairo by ship where they were separated when the horses are left behind. Guy leaves for Gallipoli. What happens next is a deeply moving truth about the love between a man and a horse. Their coming together at Beersheba is unforgettable.

The story is inspired by the folklore of the Haydon family of horse breeders at Bloomfield Station in the Hunter Valley, NSW, where Midnight was born. Mark Greenwood’s sparse and precise text is beautifully complemented by his wife, Frane Lessac’s illustrations. These are presented in full page colour. This team of creators has done justice to a story that is one of the many about Walers that became legendary in the Australian Light Horse.

These books are invaluable to lovers of historical events. They inspire research on the topic and excite the mind and heart. They take readers - regardless of age - on a journey back through time, and open doors on reality and the history of our country.

At the end of the book, the photos of Guy and Midnight, and information on the Charge at Beersheba which includes a map, bring the story closer to the reader.

Gallipoli Medals

Gallipoli Medals by Goldie Alexander, illustrated by Mignon Watson (ANZAC Day Commemoration Committee)
PB RRP $10.95
ISBN 9780980448054
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

This wonderful book is a valuable resource for young readers with its unique approach to the legend of ANZAC. The story is told through two points of view: the diary entries of eleven year old Jaxson today and those of Private Jack Donaghue during 1915.

Jaxson is surprised to learn that an ANZAC Commemorative Medallion belonging to his great great uncle, Private Jack Donaghue has been found in an Op Shop. The purchaser, Major Peter Romsey, is trying to track down the relatives of the owner. This sparks an examination of Jack Donaghue’s life. More so, when Jaxson’s school project uncovers more questions and answers about the Great War.

Another thread through the book is the close relationship between Jaxson and his Turkish mate Abi. After learning about Great Great Uncle Jack, dynamics change between Jaxson and Abi. Jaxson has mixed feelings about the reasons for the War and how enemies can become friends. Abi can’t understand why things are different.

The friends struggle with this dilemma. We share their fears, the questioning and reasoning, and view their painful journey through doubt to the exultant resolution.

This superbly illustrated book of historical fiction (with a map of the ANZAC area at the end) is presented in a fine prose style. While made up of a compact 28 pages, it holds extensive information and important themes and is ideal for readers of all ages.

Flora's War

Flora’s War by Pamela Rushby (Ford Street Publishing)

PB RRP $18.95

ISBN 978-1921665981

Reviewed by Francine Sculli

Flora’s War is a rich book. Rich not only for its beautifully written and compelling story, but rich also for the way it transports you in time with its illustrative style. Pamela Rushby has written an amazing tale steeped with history, coming-of-age, friendship, love and a taste of what it was like to be female during World War 1.

Flora’s War is set in Cairo, Egypt in 1915. Flora, a sixteen-year-old Australian is visiting Cairo with her archaeologist father, both regular visitors to Egypt during excavation season. This time around, Flora can already sense that this year’s trip won’t be like any other. She sees the army bases set up, the soldiers roaming around, the influx of nurses sent over for duty and how fewer excavation sites there are in Egypt. Still, Flora goes about her typical life in Egypt – staying in an extravagant hotel, ushered around by an influential Egyptian, working on her father’s site and traipsing around Cairo with her best friend, Gwen, an American girl whose father is also an archaeologist.

But within moments, their usual life changes to something extraordinary. Flora’s lush hotel is overtaken by the army and converted to a hospital, forcing her and her father to move to another house, known as the house of the butcher and blacksmith. And things keep changing, soon Flora and Gwen are given first aid training at Lady Bellamy’s Recreation and Rest Centre where they volunteer their time writing letters, talking and serving tea to the soldiers. Quickly, their volunteering duties start to involve driving the wounded soldiers to and from the hospital, as they start to arrive by train from Gallipoli. Flora and Gwen see unspeakable travesties that will change their life forever but in these tragedies, they find solidarity in friendship, love and being a modern woman.

Flora’s War has many, many strengths. The writing is poetic and transformative – so vivid and articulate that it is so easy for the reader to lose themselves in the bedlem and magic of dusty Cairo, or the heart break of the mental ward set up in the makeshift hospital that was once an extravagant hotel. But more than that, it is easy to get lost in the characters – so wonderfully carved, full of life and character, and wholeheartedly believable. Flora paints the picture perfectly of what it would have been like to be a female growing up in this time – fighting to be a modern woman with simple tasks like learning to drive a car or working on an excavation site. With so much subtext and so many sub-stories, Flora’s War,  is an epic story that will engross anyone who picks it up. 

My Australian Story: Gallipoli

My Australian Story: Gallipoli by Alan Tucker (Scholastic Press)
PB RRP $16.99
ISBN 978-1-74283-693-5
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

On the 25th of April, 1915, in one of Australia’s most well-known military campaigns, Allied forces landed on the Gallipoli peninsula and attempted to push back the Turkish defenders.

Gallipoli tells this story of Victor March, who, along with his new mates, Robbo, Fish and Needle, is among the first wave of soldiers to land at Anzac Cove. Desperate to leave world of the mines where he works as a pickey-boy, fourteen year old Victor views the war as an escape. He grabs the opportunity as a chance to travel, have adventures and do his bit for his country. With his parents permission he lies about his age and enlists in the 10th Battalion of the AIF. What he finds changes him and everything he thinks about the world.

Written in diary form, Gallipoli is an intimate account of Victor’s experiences, while the addition of letters from home also gives an insight into life in Australia at the time. The writing is straight forward and Victor’s voice is down to earth and genuine with just a trace of humour. These things keep the story from becoming too heavy or depressing which is a good thing as the author does not shy away from the realities of war or the horrors of the trenches – the lice, the dysentery, the confusion, the stench, the killing, the fear and especially the growing realization that the Turks in the enemy trenches were just boys like them. One of the most poignant moments for me was that after passing notes and food between the trenches, the ANZACs and the Turks had to go back to shooting at each other.

An engrossing and well-written story about Australia’s history is a great way to learn about our past. This story is both. It shows the mundane problems which affect soldiers, such as seasickness and boredom, as well as the shocking and bloody battles. Gallipoli is a balanced story which depicts the awakening consciousness of young men faced with the realities of war, along with the growing realisation that the line between right and wrong, good and bad, is never clear.

I would urge young boys in particular, from twelve years to read this, but I think adults would enjoy this and learn much from Gallipoli as well.

Walter Tull’s Scrapbook

Walter Tull’s Scrapbook by Michaela Morgan (Walker Books)
HB RRP $ 27.95
ISBN 9781847802125
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Walter Tull is an amazing historical figure. He was the first black officer in the British Army and was recommended for the Military Cross, an honour never bestowed upon him because of his colour. The book is told through Tull’s voice in first person narrative, with photographs and documents accompanying the text.

One of five children, Tull’s mother died when he was seven years old and his father remarried, but then died a few years later. Unable to care for all the children, his stepmother sent Walter and his brother Eddie to the Methodist Children’s Home in London. Eddie was later adopted.

Walter played and excelled at football, and with a conscientious, ethical, and positive outlook on life, he moved out of the orphanage into a good home, and was soon picked up by Clapton Football Club. This was the beginning of an amazing career in clubs which included Tottenham Hotspur where he became the first black British professional out -field player.

When playing against Bristol, Walter was jeered at and insulted because of his colour and ‘I lost sight of my aims and my energy leaked away. I lost heart, I lost form. But bit by bit…regained my spirits, gathered my courage and started again’ with a transfer to Northampton for a great sum of money. Walter is preparing to transfer to the Glasgow Rangers when the Great War breaks out. ‘I have to stand up for my country’ is his primary thought. The book documents his heroic feats and leadership skills that bring him the recommendation for the Military Cross.

This inspiring and moving documentation of Walter Tull’s life in scrapbook form contains original pictures and entries with newspaper clippings, certificates, pictures of the hospital train, the transporting of the wounded, Post Office telegrams and a War Office Report amongst many other informative pieces.

Walter Tull’s Scrapbook is an outstanding production for many reasons, the main being that it highlights the ethical life of a great and courageous man who against all odds, never swayed from his belief in honour and courage. It approaches Tull’s life in a different way to Michael Morpurgo’s fictional novel, A Medal for Leroy, but both books serve well in projecting this man’s life. Walter Tull was killed  during the Second Battle of the Somme in 1918, aged 29.

An Anzac Tale

An Anzac Tale by Ruth Starke, illustrated by Greg Holfeld (Working Title Press)
HB RRP $29.95
ISBN 9781921504532
Reviewed by Vicki Thornton

Roy Martin and his best mate Wally Cardwell are among the first to enlist when Australia goes to war at the beginning of World War 1. Eager to fight for King and country, they soon discover the adventure they thought they would have is nothing but a disaster.  One day after the unsuccessful landing at Anzac Cove on 25 April 1915, more than 2000 of their fellow ANZACs are dead.

The two mates and their new friend Tom, soon have to endure a battle against a tireless enemy, hostile surroundings, and the onset of flies, fleas, cold and disease.

This graphic novel is extraordinary for many reasons. Ruth Starke has captured the ‘aussie’ spirit of get up go really well. Australian slang of the time, words such as ‘little tacker’s ‘six bob tourists’ all add to the sense of the era.

The illustrations by Greg Holfeld help to create a unique book. The use of animals personalising the story, native animals for Australia, and the caracal lynx for the Turkish soldiers, helps the reader take a step back. This allows the horror of  war and what actually happened to penetrate.

The careful choice of language and what is told is taken hand in hand with the select illustrations. A combination of pen and ink and colour washes, used most effectively.  Most memorable is the double page spread of a confrontation between the ANZACs and the Turks…not a word is necessary and the thorough use of the illustrations says more than words ever could.

This book would be a great introduction of young readers to the topic of Gallipoli and the ANZAC campaign. With maps, timelines and pages of information, with the easy-to-read aspect of a graphic novel, it would also appeal to boys and reluctant readers.

A truly amazing and powerful picture book.

Do Not Forget Australia

Do Not Forget Australia by Sally Murphy, illustrated by Sonia Kretschmar (Walker Books)
HB RRP $29.95
ISBN 9781921529863
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Just in time for Anzac Day! This beautiful book illustrated with mixed media, is a story for Primary School children (and adults that collect beautiful things) about war and remembrance. It is a wonderful learning tool and a reminder of the battle at Villers-Bretonneux.

Two boys, Billy in Melbourne and Henri in a village in France, simultaneously miss their fathers who have gone to fight in the First World War.

Henri cannot remember Australia when asked to name the continents. He only cares that his father is no longer there with him. Later, he only cares that he has to leave his home and all that he loves because the fighting has reached his village. On his return, Henri remembers Australia, because the Aussie soldiers have helped free their village which was won back on Anzac Day, 25 April, 1918. A soldier sits with him and talks about his boy Billy, far away in Australia. They exchange stories and Henri tells the man about his school being bombed.

Billy finally receives a card from his dad from Villers-Bretonneux. He had studied the battle his father had fought in. He learns about Henri and his village and is moved to help in some way.

Nine years later, Henri stands in the courtyard of the new school. All the children are wearing red poppies in their lapels. He reads the banner Do Not Forget Australia which hangs across the front. As if he ever could. At the same time, on the other side of the world, the headlines on Billy’s newspaper blaze with the announcement of the opening of a new school, built by the money sent by the soldiers who fought at Villers-Bretonneux.

In A Note from the Author at the end of the book, we are reminded that although the characters are fictional, ‘Villers-Bretonneux is very real’. It gives an easy to understand historical account of the battle and the fundraising for the people of France. It also refers to many other things connected to the site of the Australian National Memorial in Villers-Bretonneux which commemorates all Australians that died during the First World War, and about the school that reopened in 1927. A valuable book for any home/collection produced with full page, full colour pictures, and an outstanding front cover.

Taken Away

Taken Away by Celine Kiernan (Allen & Unwin)

PB RRP $16.99

ISBN 978-1-74237-772-0

Reviewed by Thalia Kalkipsakis

  

Not since childhood have I felt the need to hide a book under my bed, face down and beneath a pillow, in case the terrors lurking within somehow made their way out as I slept...

That is, until I read Celine Kiernan’s gripping ghost tale, Taken Away.

A small, pale hand grabbed the edge of Dom’s bunk. Little fingers curled around the mattress. I could see the indents of the fabric where they gripped tight. There was a pause, as thought it was frightened to look, and then a small, pale, dark-eyed face cleared the edge.

Taken Away tells the story of twin Irish boys, Dom and Pat, whose family has been displaced after their home burnt down. The effect of the fire is not only displacement; somehow, it also means that the ghost is able to see the twins. And when he does, he thinks he’s ‘found a home’.

Through Pat’s eyes we feel his horror and sense of helplessness as his twin, his partner in life, is possessed. Dom disappears, becomes a ‘whistling void’, and in his place is something that no longer belongs in this world. The situation is made all the more compelling because Pat is the only one who realises that something is wrong.

As with other truly terrifying ghosts, this one is not all that he seems. To save his brother, Pat realises that he must also help the ghost. And so, the twin’s plight becomes entwined with a tragic World War I mystery.

Recommended for readers from 13 to 16 years, Taken Away is much more than just a haunting. The mystery and suspense keep the pages turning, but it is the relationships that take this story to a higher level, not the least of which is the connection between twins and the resulting anguish when events cause their separation.

Thalia’s latest book is called Head Spinners: six stories to twist your brain (www.thaliakalkipsakis.com). 

Fromelles: Australia's Bloodiest Day at War

Fromelles: Australia's Bloodiest Day at War by Carole Wilkinson (black dog books)
PB RRP $18.99
ISBN 9781742031767
Reviewed by Vicki Stanton

I knew this book was going to be a fantastic read from the moment I opened it and read the quotation from Jose Narosky: In war, there are no unwounded soldiers. On the facing page is the poignant portrait of a young soldier, Private Charles Henry Brear, and a woman. Brear was killed in the carnage that was the Battle of Fromelles on 19 July 1916.

All Australians should know of the Battle of Fromelles. It is our nation's biggest disaster with 5533 casualties in under 24 hours. It was the first battle that Australian troops participated in on the Western Front. Yet until recently very little was known about the battle. This was not by accident. The operation was such a disaster that the army downplayed the event until the efforts of Melbourne high school teacher Lambis Englezos brought it world-wide attention.

As with all the titles in the excellent Drum series, there is a timeline, text-boxes, primary source quotations, photographs, maps, a glossary, index and bibliography. Wilkinson covers the lead-up to the battle with Australia's entry into World War One, the Gallipoli campaign, training in Egypt, the commanders, battalions involved, and weapons of the Allies and the Germans. The actual battle manoeuvres are covered in detail and a discussion on what went wrong. Particularly pleasing is the inclusion of the French and German perspective in this history, essential for a full understanding of the battle and the war and its repercussions not only for the soldiers but the people that lived and worked alongside the war everyday.

A stand-out feature of Fromelles, one which makes the book so compelling and able to connect with readers, is the combination of non-fiction and fiction. Fictional diary entries from Australian and German combatants highlight the emotion, beliefs and actions of ordinary men called upon to participate in extraordinary events. This is history told at its finest.

Lest we forget.