sallymurphy.com.au

Sally Murphy, Australian author

Hello!

I'm Sally Murphy, an Australian author of over 40 children's books. I'm also the slightly crazy mother of six beautiful kids. You'll find bits of me buried somewhere in every one of my books. I love reading, writing, and speaking about reading and writing.

View my books or hire me to speak at your school, festival, or writers group.

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Poetry Friday: Hay(na)ku

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I may not have been sharing much poetry here on my blog, but my past month has involved lots of poetry related tasks.  I have been finishing off last edits on Teaching Poetry for Pleasure and Purpose, a resource for Australian teachers, which will be out in August through  PETAA, the Primary English Teacher’s Association.  With a blend of poems (my own and others) and practical ideas for teaching poetry in the primary school classroom, I am hoping it will be a handy resource for Australian teachers and help get more poetry into the hands and hearts of children.

Then, last weekend, I presented at the 56th International Conference of UKLA (The UK Literacy Association). How strange to be presenting from my loungeroom on a cold winter’s evening, to people from around the world. My session focussed on verse novels including my own, and how they can be used in the classroom.

The time differences made it difficult to attend all of the  other sessions – most of them happened in the middle of the night, my time – but how lovely to be able to listen, where I could,   to passionate educators all wanting to ensure every child has the best possible access to literature and literacy.

One session I did get to was a workshop run by Rebecca Simpson-Hargreaves, a UK based lecturer and fellow poetry advocate. In a 30 minute session, Rebecca gave attendees a taste of four different poetic forms – and even got us writing. Not a bad feat in such a short space of time.

One form that was new to me was the Hay(na)ku. You’ll find a great explanation, including the history of the form, here. Simply, though, a hay(na)ku is a three line poem with just six words – one on the first line, two on the second and three on the third.   Simple, huh? Well, yes and no – because of course with so few words you have to choose carefully.

Here was my first attempt, during the workshop:

Mushrooms

taste like

mud to me.

(This was a little tongue in cheek – in a previous exercise we had to argue for or against mushrooms, and so when it came to this exercise, my mind was still working on that).

Afterwards, I wanted to try again, and, because my whole day had been about poetry, the topic seemed obvious. So, here’s my second attempt:

Poetry

flows from

page to heart.

And, much later still my third attempt, after reflecting on the differences of this online conference versus the in person version, initially scheduled to be in Oxford but, of course, cancelled. because of the pandemic.

Conferences

can happen

without leaving home.

You know what else can happen without leaving home? Poetry Friday! Today’s roundup of poetry goodness is hosted by Margaret. Head over there and read her touching poem written during the Covid 19 lockdowns. And then,  why don’t you try your hand at a hay(na)ku of your own?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What I Read in June

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Another month down and we are halfway through 2021. Time flies! That means it’s time to take stock of what I read in June. I can report that after struggling to read in May, in June I got back on track and read 14 books, though some were picture books (I only include picture books in my total if it’s the first time I’ve read them, and if I take the time to really examine them). Some good ones here, but I think my favourite was Poems That Do not Sleep, because I am still thinking about it, long after I put it down. Isn’t that what poetry is supposed to do?

Books for Kids

  1. Our Home, Our Heartbeat, by Briggs, with illustrations by Kate Moon & Rachel Sarra. (Hardie Grant, 2020). How wonderful to come across this picture book adaption of Briggs’ song The Children Came Back. A celebration of Aboriginal legends from history, sport, music and more. A must have for every classroom and home.
  2.  Dragonfly Song, by Wendy Orr (Allen & Unwin, 2016).  I love Wendy Orr’s writing, so am not sure why it has taken me so long to get to this one, but I am really glad I finally picked it up. A mythic story set in the Bronze Age, with action,  twists and turns and featuring a resilient main character, Aissa.
  3. Common Wealth, by Gregg Dreise (Scholastic, 2021).
  4. Hello and Welcome, by Gregg Dreise (Penguin, 2021)
  5. My Culture and Me, by Gregg Dreise (Penguin, 2019) You might notice a theme emerging in my picture book reads this month. I went looking for the voices of  more First Nations poets because I felt there was a gap in my reading, and perhaps in publishing, too. I was heartened to find three books by Dreise, as well as the Briggs book above. Each very different, and all books that I will be sharing  with my  education students and recommending widely. 
  6.  Paws, by Kate Foster (Walker Books, 2021). A  charming story of friendship, dogs and coping with change. Max, the main character, lives with autism, and is trying to navigate the challenges of his final year of primary school, and his desire to make friends.
  7. Wednesday Weeks and the Tower of Shadows , by Denis Knight & Cristy Burne (Lothian, 2021).  This is the first in a series, and i am already looking forward to the second. Wednesday Weeks isn’t super keen on being a sorcerer’s apprentice but when her grandpa (the sorcerer) is kidnapped. Wednesday has to find a way to rescue him, along with the help of her best friend Alfie. Lots of magic and a satisfying mix of science too.
  8. A Boat of Stars, edited by Margaret Connolly & Natalie Jane Prior (ABC Books, 2018). Not my first read of this beautiful anthology, and I have dipped in and out of it many times,  but a great pleasure to take the time to reread from cover to cover. The world needs more beautiful poetry books – and Australia needs more such books produced by Australian creators.

Books for Young Adults

  1. The Gathering, by Isobelle Carmody (Puffin Books, 1993). I had read this last year, after picking it up in an op shop, but somehow it went back into my to be read pile, and so I read it again. This is a gripping young adult story, about how Nat, and a group of other seemingly misfit teens find the way to tackle the dark force which is taking over their school and their town.
  2. We Were Wolves, by Jason Cockcroft. I have to confess to not enjoying this one, which says nothing about the quality of the writing and more about the events of the book. It was grim at the start, grim in the middle and grim at the end. Although there were glimmers of hope, I wasn’t sure the boy (he didn’t even have a  name) was left any better off.

Books for Adults

  1. The Little Boat on Trusting Lane, by Mel Hall (Fremantle Press, 2021). The author of this one guest blogged on Aussiereviews earlier this month, inspiring me to pick up a read the book. I really enjoyed this book, though it’s hard to explain – it’s a gentle satire about religion, and new aged healing, and coping with pain. And, if you know Fremantle, the settings will resonate with you, as they did for me.
  2. The Emporium of Imagination, by Tabitha Bird. I raced off to buy this when I read an article about it in the paper in May, then had to wait a while to read it, because I was in the midst of grief and wondered if a book about grief was the best thing for me.  I needn’t have worried – yes, this book has its sadness, but it also uplifting and even in places humorous. I loved it.
  3. The Night Village, by Zoe Deleuil (Fremantle Press, 2021). From my review pile (and actually not released until August), I enjoyed this, reading it over two evenings. Dealing with the realties of early motherhood – the birth experience, the impact of sleeplessness, the isolation and so on, against the backdrop of an air of threat/mystery.

Non Fiction Books

  1. The Way of Integrity, by Martha Beck (Audible). I found this one through a recommendation on Audible, and really enjoyed the messages of this book, as well as the easy to listen to narration, by the author. Clear messages about being true to yourself – ie living in integrity – if you want to be truly happy.

Poetry

  1. Poems That Do not Sleep, by Hassan Al Nawwab (Fremantle Press, 2021). I picked this one late one evening from my to read pile, and then couldn’t go to bed until I had read  every poem. Easy to read, in their accessibility, but sometimes hard to digest because they deal with such real, difficult experiences. The poet is a former Iraqi soldier and refugee. the title should have been enough hint to me of their challenge, but I am very glad I read them, and will do so again.

 

That brings my total to the year to 81. Not bad when I consider just how busy I really am. What have you been reading lately? I’d love to hear.

Poetry Friday: Leisure

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Not so many beach walks, and no snorkels, this week. I have been busy, but it’s actually the weather that has kept me inside – bitterly cold and a lot of rain.  I don’t mind one or the other, but when both hit, I am firmly an inside person. which, in a busy week, is not a terrible thing. I got a lot done this week.

One evening as I was  reading in my recliner with my weighted blanket and the heater blasting warm air I came across this poem – new to me, and nodded my agreement, then laughed at myself because I was kind of doing the opposite right there and then.

Leisure

by W. H. Davies

What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare?—

No time to stand beneath the boughs,
And stare as long as sheep and cows:

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass:

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night:

No time to turn at Beauty’s glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance:

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began?

A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

 

And then, I realised that sometimes we just can’t be out and amongst this treasures of nature – especially in this Covid world, where so many are in lockdowns or isolation. And I reread the poem, and realised it isn’t saying we have to be doing those things all the time – just that when those things are there, we should allow ourselves leisure (rhymes with pleasure!) to enjoy. You don’t have to be on the beach or in the woods, or snorkelling to notice a moment of beauty.  I call them ‘this’ moments. When I spot a tiny spider clinging to a web, or the way the sun shines through my back window making  silvery fairy dust and I give myself a second, or a minute or whatever to think ‘this’ – this is lovely, or this is awe inspiring, or even this is kind of cool. Sometimes my ‘this’ comes when I am curled up inside with a wonderful book of poetry.

This morning, though, the rain has stopped for a while, and I was lucky enough to get back onto the beach. And it was a great big ‘this’ I was thinking as I strolled along the sand. I captured a minute of it in the hopes it might give someone else a this moment.

I hope there are lots of thises in your day.  You might start by saying ‘this’ as you nod along to the poetry goodness being shared by other Poetry Friday bloggers. The round up is being hosted by Carol.

 

What I Read in May

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In April I was surprised to have read only 12 books. In May I am surprised that I managed to get through 6. What a month May was! My darling Dad passed away, my work was chaotic with deadlines, and I worked through grief and day job stuff to try to meet a writing deadline for my poetry resource which will be published later this year.  So yes, I’m not surprised to tally my reads and find only 6 – but 6 is better than none. And there are some goodies in this list.

Books for Children (an adults too!)

  1. Aster’s Good, Right Things, by Kate Gordon (Riveted Press, 2020). I love everything Kate Gordon writes, and this is no exception. A really touching story about a girl who believes that if she does enough good things then her life will turn around. When she makes friends with a boy who lives next door to her school, but doesn’t got o school himself, things gradually shift. Hard to explain this book – you just need to read it to see how lovely it is.
  2. We Are Wolves, by Katrina Nannestad (ABC Books, 2020). Wow. Sometimes I read a book that is just so perfect I have no words. This is one such book. Set in Germany and East Prussia at the close of World War II, it tells the story of Liesel and her siblings as they flee the advancing Russian Army and struggle for survival and to be reunited with their mother.  heart wrenching but also beautiful.

Books for Young Adult Readers

  1. Displaced, by Cristina Sanders (Walker Books, 2021). I love historical fiction, and this one took me into a slice of history I was unfamiliar with  – new Zealand in the late 19th century. the main character, Eloise, emigrates from Cornwall with her family, but nothing goes to plan and she finds herself increasingly needing to hold her family together in ways she could never have foreseen.

2. Game Changer, by Neal Shusterman (Walker Books, 2021). this one took me a while to get into, but that is perhaps more about my interrupted month than about the book. Ash is a high school football player who gets a knock on the head which knocks him into an alternate universe. Only he knows that things are changing and, as weeks progress, he is catapulted into increasingly shifted versions of reality. He has to try to figure out a way to get everything back to where it was.

3. One of Us is Lying, by Karen M. McManus (Penguin, 2017). I picked this one up on a remainders table and then it sat in my pile for a while. part murder-mystery, part thriller, and an exploration of the ways teens interact with each other and with social media. I really enjoyed this one.

Nonfiction

  1. A Year of Loving Kindness to Myself & Other Essays, by Brigid Lowry. This little gem of a book was a soothing balm in a period when I  was grieving and unsettled. Lowry writes with wisdom, honesty and wonder. A lovely book. Brigid also guest blogged at Aussiereviews last month, which you can read here.

 

This brings my total for the year to 67 books, which isn’t too shabby, and June is looking a little more laid back, so hopefully I can at least crack double digits again.  What have you been reading? I’d love to hear.

Poetry Friday: Jellyfish

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May was a busy busy month for me. Actually, every month is busy, but May was super busy, with some personal stuff, some day job stuff, and a looming deadline for my poetry resource for Australian teachers. And that all meant I missed several Poetry Fridays.

Another thing I missed was snorkelling. That busyness coupled with the cooler weather kept me out of the water most of the month. But this week some of the busyness has gone, and on Tuesday I bought a new, warmer, wetsuit – and so I managed a snorkel both Wednesday and Thursday.

On Thursday I did my first ever river snorkel. I’d heard of a site where seahorses are regularly spotted, and it is close to my city unit, so I headed there. I spotted only the one seahorse, but it was my first ever seahorse, so I was pleased. But what really took my breath away were the jellyfish.

I confess that I have always had a bit of hesitancy to get anywhere near jellyfish. Some sting, and all seem, from the surface, weird, sticky creatures. But snorkelling has given me the opportunity to really see these amazing creatures up close. I am fascinated by the way they move,  and could watch them for hours.

Here’s a little footage so you can see what I mean.

 

Beautiful aren’t they?

And, of course, I came away wanting to write poetry about the beauty and the grace of these creatures. But nothing came out quite right. Yet.  I will keep trying, but in the meantime, I found this beautiful poem, which says all the things I wanted to say.

A Jelly-Fish

by Marianne Moore

Visible, invisible,
A fluctuating charm,
An amber-colored amethyst
Inhabits it; your arm
Approaches, and
It opens and
It closes;
You have meant
To catch it,
And it shrivels;
You abandon
Your intent—
It opens, and it
Closes and you
Reach for it—
The blue
Surrounding it
Grows cloudy, and
It floats away
From you.

(Poem in the public domain)

Have a wonderful Friday, and, if you love poetry, head over to Margaret’s blog to see lots more poetry goodness.

April Reads

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Another month has ended, so it’s time for my monthly reading roundup. I managed only 12 books in April, but there were some beauties in that 12.

 

Books for Children

  1. Backyard Bugs, by Helen Milroy (Fremantle Press, 2021). This little picture book offering is lovely, and my two year old granddaughter seemed to agree. After I read her the simple rhyming text, she sat for a long time flipping through the pages and ‘reading’, emulating the lyrical feel and the names of the different minibeasts.  The illustrations are sumptuous.

2. Redback Mansion, by Lorraine Marwood (Five Islands Press, 2002). It’s been fifteen years since I reviewed this collection of poetry on Aussiereviews,  but love to dip in and out of it, as well as others of Marwood’s collections. This is the first time in a long while that I have read it cover to cover, and it didn’t disappoint. It’s a shame it is no longer in print for a new generation of readers, but luckily Marwood continues to produce new work, so there is still plenty out there to read.

3. Nobody’s Boy, by Dianne Bates (Celapene Press, 2012).  Another one I had read  before. I love to revisit verse novels, because not only are they my favourite form, but reading them is about really experiencing the characters’ perspectives. This is the story of Ron, who has been in foster care most of his life and craves a chance to live with his dad.

4. Fish Kid and the Turtle Torpedo, by Kylie Howarth (Walker Books, 2021). This is the third book in  excellent series for young readers, especially those who love marine life, swimming and adventure. Fish Kid (Bodhi) has a love of the ocean and has special powers which let him swim like a fish and even communicate with sea life. In this instalment he and his friend Emely rescue a sick turtle and even swim with dolphins.  Along the way readers learn lots of animal fact and conservation messages, but the story is foremost.

Books for Young Adults

  1. All Our Hidden Gifts, by Caroline O’Donoghue (Walker Books, 2021). This was sent to be by Walker Books, and took me a little while to get into, probably more because it was the first book I read for the month, and was busy, than because of the book itself. Maeve finds a set of tarot cards, discovers she has a knack for reading them, and then, to her horror, that she seems to have the power to make her former best friend disappear. What it might cost to get her back is too much. With magic and the occult, as well as explorations of gender diversity, religion and more, there is a lot going on here, which makes for an intriguing read.
  2.  I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou (Audible Edition, 2014). I am so glad I chose to listen to this book, because it is read by Angelou herself, which adds so much to the reading experience. This is  the autobiography of her childhood, characterised by hardship, displacement, violence and racism – but is also a story filled with strength and the beauty of Angelou’s  writing.  I cried but I also smiled.  I’ve put it here in the young adult section because it is  suitable for young adults, but will equally appeal to adult readers.
  3. Peta Lyre’s Rating Normal, by Anna Whatley (Allen & Unwin, 2020).  I loved this own voices novel about a gutsy girl who tries hard to act ‘normal’ by following the rules drummed into her by therapists, parents and teachers over her lifetime, but with the laugh of her aunt and new friends learns not just to like herself but also to see her strengths and expect others to, too.  So glad this is is on the CBCA Children’s Book of the Year shortlist. 

Books for Adult Readers

  1. Everyday Madness, by Susan Midalia (Fremantle Press, 2021).  Susan recently guest blogged over at my review site, Aussiereviews, about her writing life and the story behind this book. I enjoyed the weaving of the different stories – that of  Bernard, newly unemployed, his wife Gloria, whose breakdown and caused a huge shift in their marriage, their daughter on law Meg, struggling to raise her daughter, study full time and navigate supporting the in laws her ex-husband seems to not take responsibility for, and her daughter Ella.
  2. The Cuckoo’s Cry, by Caroline Overington (Audible, 2020).  Set in Bondi during the first Covid 19 lockdown, this novella was an interesting free read, part family drama, part mystery.
  3. Life After Truth, by Cerdiwen Dovey (Audible, 2019). You can tell how much time I have spent int he car in any month by the number of Audible reads, especially the free reads. This was again part mystery (the US president’s son is murdered) and part soul-searching drama. The characters did have me interested, but I must admit I spent most of the book just gobsmacked at the utter privilege of  the Harvard world (the book is set during a 15 year reunion, on campus). It really just seems like another world.
  4.  The Last Bookshop, by Emma Young (Fremantle Press, 2021). Any book set in a bookshop is likely to engage me. Put that bookshop in Hay Street, Perth, and I am hooked. What I didn’t expect was to blubber helplessly while reading this. Loved it! Emma Young also guest blogged over on my Aussiereviews site here.

Nonfiction Books

  1. An Island Solution: Rottnest reveals our colonial secrets, by Eversley Ruth Mortlock (Gwelup Creative Life Writing Press, 20219). I picked this up in the Rottnest store when I was visiting Rottnest/Wadjemup earlier this year.  An insight into a chapter of Western Australian history which must be redressed: the incarceration, and inhumane treatment,  of Aboriginal men  from around the state on Rottnest Island.  Not an easy read, because of its subject matter, but important  for that reason.

These 12 books bring my total to 61 books read for the year to date., roughly one book every two days, if my maths is correct. What have you been reading lately?