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Sally Murphy, Australian author

Black Out Poetry #1

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I’ve been thinking about this idea for a while, and it seems today is the day.

I used to write a lot of  book reviews – on my review site Aussiereviews. But as I’ve got busier and busier, I’ve found I just don’t have the time.   But I still love spreading the word about wonderful books I read – in my monthly round up here in my blog, by word of mouth, and through social media posts.

So, I wondered, could I bring together my love of poetry, my love of reading, and the quick tools of social media, to write in response to some of the books I read.

My idea was to scan a random page from a book I love, and use it  to write a black-out poem (sometimes called a Found Poem, though black out poetry is a particular type of found poem).

And, today, I finally had a go.

First, here’s the book I am reading:

Beautiful cover for a beautiful book!

Next, the page I chose – page 138 – and my black-out effort:

And lastly, tidied up, to make it easier to read, here is the poem:

I plan to do more of these – as the mood hits me, and the book hits me.  I’ll post them on Instagram first  and then might post them here in a separate post, or else will add to them my monthly reading roundup. Not sure yet.

Either way, I hope you enjoy them – and that this one inspires you to read Evie and Rhino.  I’m off to finish reading it 🙂

Poetry Friday: I’m Excited!

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It’s Poetry Friday and I’m excited.

Firstly, I’m excited because it is Friday and, instead of wishing I had time to put together a Poetry Friday post I am actually here doing it. Huzzah! Life has been chaotic this year, mostly good-chaotic, but this has not left as much time as I’d like for fun things like Poetry Friday. So I am glad to be here today.

Secondly, I am excited because my poetry book for teachers, Teaching Poetry for Pleasure and Purpose won an award! Taddah!

 

It was really  lovely to hear that this resource, with lots of teaching ideas, background information and, of course poems – by myself and lots of other wonderful poets, took out this category. Hopefully this means it will end up being seen by more teachers keen to use poetry in their classrooms.

Lastly, I’m excited because today, George is coming!!! Who is George? Thanks for asking!

THIS is George:

And those are my arms holding him when I met him last Sunday.  And today, George is coming to live with ME. And I am like a child in my excitement. There has been a dog-sized hole in my home since early last year, when my much loved Jonah died. George won’t replace him –  you can’t replace a much loved family member. But now that I have had time, I am ready to love again – and boy is George loveable. He is as soft and silky as he looks, and those eyes are just adorable.

To celebrate these three things: Poetry Friday, the book award, and a brand new puppy,  it’s appropriate to share a poem from the book which is about – of course – dogs.  This is my Definition Poem (you can read more about those here) for the word ‘dog’.

 

Happy George Day! And happy Poetry Friday!

I’m off to visit my Poetry Friday friends while I wait for it to be George-time. You can find the Poetry Friday round up here on Sarah’s blog.

What I Read in September

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September has flown past, but I did manage some reading – 11 books in total.  I read some beauties, mostly the children’s books, but also some really grim reads for adults which left me wondering  about the terrible things people are capable of.   Not a great way to start my reading update, but rest assured that grimness does not mean bad writing.

Anyway, here’s what I read.

Books for Children

  1. Little Tales of  Hedgehog and Goat, by Paula Green, illustrated by Kimberly Andrews (Puffin, 2022). This was just a delightful way to start my reading for the month. Look at the cover and you will get a feel for just what a whimsical, happy book this is.
  2. All Four Quarters of the Moon, by Shirley Marr (Puffin Books, 2022).  I loved this gorgeous tale of change, family and friendship. Peijing and her family move to Australia from Singapore – and it seems everything is different. Possibly the most different thing of all is that her beloved Ah Ma seems to be forgetting who she is. Even though there are some difficult topics explored – including a subplot involving childhood neglect – they are handled deftly.

3. How to Be a Wonder Hunter, by Josh Langley (Big Sky, 2022). Josh is a friend and a wonderful person, so I was delighted to pop in and see him and buy a copy of this little book at a recent local event.  It’s a gorgeous book about being curious and creative, and open to discovering wonders.

4. The Travelling Bookshop: Mim and the Woeful Wedding, by Katrina Nannestad. Oh how enchanting! I already loved Katrina Nannestad’s work, but hadn’t read her junior fiction – but lucky me got to meet Katrina at the recent Scribblers Festival and then celebrated by buying this book.  Mim, her brother and father and assorted animals travel the world in a magical bookshop which decides where it is needed. In this instalment they arrive at a Greek island where a wedding is about to take place – but Mim is sure that the bride and groom are not going to be happy.

5. The Last Bear, by Hannah Gold (Harper Collins, 2021).  The cover is divine and the book is too. The story of a lonely child who finds herself living with only her mother on a remote island in the Arctic, where she befriends a lost polar bear. It’s beautiful.

6. The Good Bye Year, by Emily Gale (Text, 2022).  This is the story of Harper, who finds that her final, year of primary school is not at all what she imagined it might be. There are just too many changes: her friends become school leaders and seem to busy for her, her parents head off overseas for work, leaving her with a grandmother she barely knows, and a pandemic hits. But worst of all – Harper is being haunted by a mysterious ghost.

Books for Young Adults

  1. All the Best Liars, by Amelia Kahaney (Walker, 2022).  I really enjoyed this psychological thriller – which I must confess I didn’t expect. Cleverly woven so that you get to know the three teens who grew up close but are no longer so, before you start to discover what went wrong, and the terrible consequences.

Books for Adults

  1. The Brink, by Holden Sheppard (Text Publishing, 2022).  Wow! What a ride this book took me on. A group of school leavers head off on their leavers week – but have to change plans and end up on a remote island, where things unravel. A really compelling read, with a thought-provoking insight into masculinity, sexuality, and peer dynamics.

2. Batavia, by Peter Fitzsimons (Random House, 2012). I think a mistake reading this one.  I knew a bit about the history of the Batavia, shipwrecked off the coast of Geraldton in the 1600s, so after I visited Geraldton I decided to read the story. My mistake was forgetting what a grim, blood curdling horrid piece of history it is. The book is well written, but the details of what happened after the ship was wrecked are just horrible. This is not fiction, so every death, at the hands of other survivors, the treatment of the women and children, and more,  based on the truth, is just terrible. Maybe I read it at the wrong time. I do believe we need to know about bad history so that we can work to change it – I guess my upset was that I am not sure humanity has moved on far enough.

3. Follow the Rabbit Proof Fence, by Doris Pilkington Garimara and Nugi Garimara (UQP, 2002). After reading Batavia, I decided my next book would be happier. And this one was, in places. This is the book which inspired the film of the same name – and is the true story of three girls stolen from their family and taken south to be educated at Moore river. They famously escaped and walked all the way home by following the rabbit proof fence. What a wonderful story of courage, family, and determination. Sadly, it is also a reminder of the terrible treatment of the  stolen generation, and a reminder of the impacts white Australians have had on the traditional owners of this country. So, while I am glad I read this I was left again saddened by what happened – and how little has changed really.

4. The Hitchhiker, by Gabriel Bergmoser  (Audible Australia, 2022). In my quest to stop reading things that made me so sad about humanity I opened a free audiobook from Audible. Oops. This was a psychological thriller  which featured a lot of horrible acts committed by a psychopath. Cleverly told, but I finished my month determined to read more happier books in October.

 

That brings my total for the year to 128 books for the year and, as I said, also brings me a determination to do more uplifting reading in October. Not sure how I’ll go – but, spoiler alert, I have started October with a romance novel.

 

Poetry Friday: Welcome Spring!

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The days are getting longer and a teensy bit warmer. My daffodils are flowering and  there’s a spring  in my step.

That’s right – spring is here!  And yesterday, the first official day of spring in Australia, I found a poem bubbling up from the midst of my joy.

Come in!

Welcome Spring!

Come on in!

Let warmer sunny days begin.

Let daffies trumpet to the sky

That Spring is here

And Summer nigh.

 

Welcome Spring!

So glad you’re here

Let balmy blue-skied days appear.

Let flowers, bees and birds proclaim

How glad we feel

Because you came.

 

Welcome Spring,

My dear old friend!

You herald dreary Winter’s end

Such delight and joy you bring

As we welcome

Welcome

Welcome

SPRING!

 

(Sally Murphy, 2022)

 

And it’s not only Spring, but it’s also Poetry Friday. Imagine my giggle when I saw that today’s host, Linda at TeacherDance, has titled her own post Welcome September. Of course September is a little different in her part of the world, so it’s wonderful to think we are each able to celebrate such different beginnings.

Happy Spring! Happy September! And (shhhhhhhh) happy birthday to me 🙂

 

 

What I Read in August

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Another month, another monthly roundup of my reading. 13 books this month, with a lot of variation. I shouldn’t pick a favourite – but have a look at number 7. I’m in a book! I’ll be posting more about this when it’s officially released.

Children’s Books

  1. No Words, by Maryam Master (Pan Macmillan, 2022). I was interested in this one because Aria, one of the characters, is a refugee who doesn’t speak at school – and this reminded my of Amed in my own book, Worse Things. I love seeing how other authors have tackled similar issues. But in Aria’s case, it gradually emerges that his not speaking is not so much a language issue as one of trauma – he is selectively mute.  I liked the blend of Aria’s story with  those of Jaz and Hero, who both have problems of their own.
  2. The Book of Wondrous Possibilities, by Deborah Abela (Penguin, 2022). I have been waiting for this book to come out, and can say that the wait was worth it. What a magical book. Arlo is fearful and, since the loss of his mother, sad, but when he discovers his mother has left him a book that has the magical ability to make his  story come true, he is swept into a battle to protect everything he loves.
  3. Alone, by Megan E. Freeman (Aladdin, 2022). I always love coming across a verse novelist (and, thus, a verse novel) that I’ve not encountered before. This is the story of a girl left completely alone after an unexpected evacuation of her whole state.  The poetic form is an excellent way of following her thought processes through some truly confronting experiences.
  4. The 156-Storey Treehouse, by Andy Griffiths & Terry Denton (Pan, 2022). This came to me as a review copy, and I had fun checking out the latest instalment in this ever-growing treehouse, with its two inventive, and funny, residents.
  5. A is for Australian Reefs, by Frane Lessac (Walker Books, 2022). I love anything related to the ocean, and this book, by a talented friend a, is no exception. With both well- and lesser-known marine life featured, this is a delightful blend of facts and stunning art, bringing the reef to life.
  6. Respect, by Aunty Fay Muri & Sue Lawson, illustrated by Lisa Kennedy (Magabala, 2020). I knew of this book but had somehow never read a copy. I bought it after hearing the authors speak at the recent CBCA National Conference. What a wonderful, child-friendly way of explaining the concept of respect – for the land, for history, for culture, for each other, and for ourselves.
  7. How to be The New Person, by Anna Branford (Walker Books, 2022).  What to say bout this book? I suspect I will be posting more as I process the absolute wondrousness of this story – and of the absolute honour and excitement I felt when I realised the main character’s favourite book is one of my mine. All the feels!

 

Books for Young Adults

  1. The Farseekers, by Isobelle Carmody (Penguin, 1997).  Am gradually working my way through this series on audio, read by the author. Carmody’s world-building is amazing, and I am loving hearing her voice.

 

Books for Adults

  1. Project Hail Mary, by Andy Weir (Random House, 2021). I don’t read a lot of sci-fi, but enjoyed this one, which I listened to on audio. From the author of The Martian, this one sees a lone astronaut, with amnesia, gradually come to realise that he is on a mission that could save the human race. I did occasionally find the science explanations a little daunting, but was impressed by the author’s obvious knowledge/research. And the story itself was excellent.
  2. The Mother, by Jane Caro (Allen & Unwin, 2022). Not necessarily an easy read, with the subject matter including coercive control, but really well written, making the important topic accessible., and making me want to keep reading.
  3. The Deceit, by Sara Foster (Audible, 2022). This was an Audible exclusive audiobook novella. I really enjoyed  it – which is a funny way of describing listening to a thriller which placed a family in a terrible situation.
  4. Blood & Ink, by Brett Adams (Fremantle Press, 2022). Another review copy, and one I might not have otherwise read. It took me a while – not because of the quality of the writing (which was good) but because I found it a bit stressful, to follow the trials of an academic who finds himself framed for a series of murders – which he is desperately trying to put a stop to.  Really gripping, and I was glad I stuck with it.

Non Fiction for Adults

  1. Thinking Big, by Zig Ziglar and others (AUdible). This is a compilation of chapters and extracts from various motivational/self help experts and was free from Audible. Some good reminders and nuggets of wisdom, and an excellent thing to listen to in bed (I don’t sleep well when away from home, and listening  helps).

 

 

This brings my total for the year to 117. I’m on track to make my target if I keep up this pace, but there are so many more books I want to get through.

 

What have you been reading?

What I Read in July

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It’s a new month which means time to share what I read last month. July was cold, and a bit lazy – I took a week’s annual leave from my day job, and read a lot. And then I had Covid, with a week of enforced rest – and read a lot more. So I was not so surprised to realised I had managed 23 books in the month. And some good ones too!  Here’s what I got through:

Books for Kids

 

  1. Alex and the Alpacas Ride Again, by Kathryn Lefroy (Fremantle Press, 2022).  This is the sequel to Alex and the Alpacas Save the World, which I read when it was released, and has been rereleased so that new readers can enjoy them both.  It was great to get to see what happens next to Alex – who thought she’d saved the world (with some help from her grandpa and his alpacas) , but now discovers that the job was only half done. Set in Melbourne,  with plenty of action and a dash of humour, this is a gripping read.
  2. Zadie Ma and the dog who chased the moon, by Gabrielle Wang (Penguin,2022). Zadie’s life isn’t always easy – her father has shell shock from fighting in the war, and her mother seems to love Zadie’s little brother Teddy, but not Zadie. To escape, Zadie writes stories – but when she discovers that her stories have a way of coming true, she decides to write the story of a dog, in hopes she will end up owning that dog. Whimsical, and lovely.
  3. The Lost Child of Chernobyl, by Helen Bates (Otter Barry Books, 2021). This was in my to-read pile for a while, and I think must have been sent as a review copy. A graphic novel, inspired by the real events of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster of 1986. Although the child’s story is fictitious, the real events and the message of healing and of humankind’s impact on the world, is very real.
  4. Cat Problems, by Jory John, illustrated by Lane Smith (Walker Books, 2021). Another one from my review pile (can you tell I’ve been having a clean out?), this is a humorous tale of one cat’s day, which is filled with problems – moving sunbeams, noisy household machines, and even another cat who is ALWAYS in the way.
  5. The Way of Dog, by Zana Fraillon ((UQP, 2022). You know I love pretty much every verse novel ever, so it will be no surprise when I say how much I loved this offering. Written in the voice of the dog, Scruffity, there’s some humour but also lots of feelings, as Scruffity and the people he meets have some big life challenges.  I may have cried, but that’s also no surprise..
  6. August and Jones, by Pip Harry (Lothian, 2022). Jones isn’t happy about moving to the city, but August is happy when he is chosen as her buddy, to show her around the school. The two quickly become friends, and support each other through some really tough times. Pip Harry is an amazing writer, and this one’s another winner.
  7. Across the Risen Sea, by Bren Macdibble (Allen & Unwin, 2020). Not sure why I hadn’t read this book yet, given that Bren’s one of my favourite writers for middle grade, and an all round lovely person, too.  But I realised I didn’t have it, and bought a copy from a lovely bookshop in Dunsborough, and then read it in a day, because I couldn’t pout it down. Set is a post apocalyptic world, with two young friends drawn in drama and adventure involving dangerous trip across the inland sea which global warming has created, evading pirates, giant sharks and crocodiles, in a quest to save their peace-loving village. What’s not love?
  8. A Clue for Clara, by Lian Tanner (Allen & Unwin, 2020). I bought this after listening to Lian speak at the recent CBCA National Conference. She is a clever, funny speaker, and I was not at all surprised that this translates into her writing as well. Clara is a chicken who has decided she wants to be a detective, just like the one’s she has seen on the Boss’s television. But she’s a small scruffy chicken and not even the other chickens take her seriously – so how can she convince the humans? Fortunately she meets Olive, the daughter of the local policeman. Lots of fun and adventure ensue.
  9. Tilda, by Sue Whiting (Walker Books, 2022). I have been looking forward to this one for quite a while, since Sue told me the piece of her own family history which inspired the beginnings of Tilda’s story. So I was delighted to receive a review copy ahead of its September release, and read it in two sittings.  Set at the turn of the twentieth century in a fictional orphanage, where Tilda is left by her father when he goes to serve in the Boer War.  Tilda is mistreated by the dreadful Sister Agatha, and must use all her courage – and some resourceful friends – to survive. A wonderful read.
  10. Rita’s Revenge, by Lian Tanner (Allen & Unwin, 2022). Having adored Clara, I was delighted to see there was a sequel  and, of course, I had to read it. What’s funnier that a chicken detective? A duck out for revenge on that chicken!  Just like the first book, this is clever, funny and exciting in equal measure.
  11. Ella and the Useless Day, by Meg McKinlay & Karen Blair (Walker Books, 2002). Another review copy, and another one I have been waiting for excitedly. I wasn’t disappointed. Far from being useless, Ella’s day is very rewarding, as she and her dad clear out all the items clogging their house that they deem useless – and discover that these very items may indeed be useful for other people. Such a fun book, with a subtly lovely message.
  12. I am Susannah, by Libby Gleeson (Angus & Roberston, 1987). I’m really enjoying dipping into some of the Australian authors I deeply admire. Frist published in the 80s, this one still holds up . Susie’s best friend has moved away, and this devastates her. Now she is navigating issues of peer pressure, friendship and independence, with no one close who understands, least of all her mum.
  13. Miss Penny Dreadful & the Midnight Kittens, by Allison Rushby, with illustrations by Bronte Rose Marando (Walker Books, 2022). A fun new series, set in 1872, with the main character, Penny, finding herself travelling with her famous authoress aunt and caught up in the mystery of apparently bewitched  kittens. The ending hints at the next mystery, and I look forward to reading it.
  14. Dreaming by Starlight, by Siobhan Curham (Walker Books, 2022). A middle grade story about friendship and fitting in. The main character, Jazz, has moved to England from Australia and is having trouble settling down until her older cousin tells her about a secret club she used to run called the Midnight Dreamers (who featured in earlier books by the same author, although this one stands alone, too). Jazz follows the same steps and finds three new friends, each with their own set of challenges.

15. The Boy Who Met a Whale, by Nizrana Farook (Nosy Crow, 2021). I bought this on the basis of its amazing cover. and really enjoyed it – a blend of adventure, resilience, facing up to fears and more. And yes, there are whales!

16. Rabbit, Soldier, Angel, Thief,  by Katrina Nannestad (ABC Books, 2021).  Another beautiful cover, and another beautiful book. Set  in Russia in 142 as a six year old Sasha is orphaned and finds himself travelling with the army, sheltering but also providing comfort and support to his new friends.

Fiction for Young Adults

  1. The Hidden Girl, by Louise Bassett (Walker Books, 2022). Another review copy. I enjoyed this debut novel , set in Melbourne and Indonesia. Mel has a chequered past at school but has tried to keep her head down at her new school. When she discovers a diary with a coded cry for help, she finds it increasingly difficult to stay out of trouble and do the right thing.

 

 

Fiction for Adults

  1. Cotillion, by Georgette Heyer (Heinemann, 1953). When my mother downsized late last year, I was gifted her collection of Heyer’s books, which I had loved in my late teens but not delved into since. I finally made time to read one – Cotillion. Regency romance, with an heiress who will only inherit if she marries one of her benefactor’s great nephews.  Amusing, and an easy read, just right for a cold winter evenings. I’ll be reading more, when I have time.
  2. The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes, by Arthur Conan Doyle. It’s taken a while, but having finished this one I’ve now listened tot he entire collection of Sherlock Holmes books. Nice tor each the end because it’s an achievement, but will miss the writing and the voice of Stephen Fry, who has beenr eading them to me for months and months, in between other audiobooks.
  3. Benang, by Kim Scott (Fremantle Arts Centre Press, 1999). I hadn’t read this before, though had long meant to. Now I have I wonder why I took so long, but also how many rereadings the book will need before I have unravelled its complexity. There is a lot going on – and that confusion for the reader is deliberate, because the subject matter is complex, and deep and also the narrator’s unravelling of his family’s history is just as confusing for him. Harley is a Noongyar man who is trying to work through the truth of this fact, with the knowledge that his grandfather, a white man, believes he has ‘bred’ Harely to be the frist white Noongyar – ie that he has bred the Noongyar out of him. A disturbing premise, but not as disturbing as knowing that this work is rooted deeply in the history of Western Australia and colonial policies.

Poetry

  1. Adultolescence, by Gabbie Hanna (Simon & Schuster, 2017). I picked this one up because of its title, and enjoyed the sometimes irreverent, often funny and very real poetry it contained, dealing with love, life and adulthood in all its guises.

Nonfiction for Adults

  1. The Art of Storytelling: From Parents to Professionals, by Hannah B. Harvey (Audible, 2012).  I got a lot out of this. Aimed at those who want to tell stories – either professionally or more informally, I found that it had a lot to offer a writer as well and, because I use oral storytelling in my sessions, I picked up lots of tips there, too.
  2. Bedtime Story, by Chloe Hooper, illustrated by Anna Walker (Scribner, 2022). Oh gosh!  This is the most beautiful, heartbreakingly honest book. I cried in the first chapter, and several times afterwards. A letter from the author to her son as the family navigates a journey through i9llness. Hooper searches for a children’s book to help, and the book delves into children’s literature, and at he lives of children’s authors, along with issues of life, death, honesty and so much more. With stunning illustrations by the amazing Anna Walker, this is truly a beautiful book

That brings my total for the year (so far) to 104 books, creeping closer to my target of matching last year’s 153.  We’ll see – 49 more seems doable, but it’s been a year of busyness so we shall see.

 

What have you been reading?

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