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Sally Murphy, Australian author

Happy Australia Day and a Big Question

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Not strictly related to writing for children, but as a proud Aussie I’d like to wish all readers a wonderful Australia Day.
I am off to to the Corrigin Australia day breakfast this morning, then to the pool this afternoon.
Enjoy the day!

And, to make this post book related, I’m asking a big Aussie question. What is your favourite Australian children’s book?

To me, this one of the hardest questions I’ve asked because there are so many wonderful Aussie children’s books. How to choose just one?

But, for me, the book I’m going to choose is Ca-a-r Ca-a-a-a-r, by Geoff Havel.
Ca-a-r Ca-a-a-a-R

Not only is this one of the first books I ever reviewed for aussiereviews, but before that it was a book that showed me what a children’s writer can do with a simple concept. It is also my favourite book to read aloud – to kids or to adults. Everyone loves it and laughs out loud. That, in my opinion, is what a children’s book should do – make you smile.

So, what is YOUR favourite Australian children’s book. Let me know by leaving a comment below.
And again, Happy Australia Day.

Comments

  1. Thanks for dropping in, Julia. i like Bobbie Dazzler too – and love the title, because when I was a kdi I had a pair of Bobbie Dazzler socks (stripey kneehighs) which I adored.

  2. L love Bobbie Dazzler by Margaret Wild and Janine Dawson. It’s a picture book that’s got the lot – a great story, marvellous illustrations, Australiana, humour and heart.

    (Sorry for the late post – I’m just getting over the Oz Day BBQ lunch!)

  3. Wow, Charles that’s quite a list – and a wodnerful blend of classics and more recent offerings. Your chidlren were certainly given a smorgasbord of quality Australian literature to read.
    And Lizann, I had forgotten Kaz Cooke. not sure how I could – her ‘adult’ books are also evry funny.

  4. I have to put in a good word for The Terrible Underpants as well as Wanda-Linda Goes Berserk. Both by Kaz Cooke. They’re just so funny they’re guaranteed to get both me and my kids giggling.

  5. We lived in Australia for a number of years, fortunately when the children were young and were able to enjoy the rich Australian heritage of children’s books.

    Among those that they enjoyed were the Tashi stories and the Minton stories by Fienberg, The Tram to Bondi Beach by Hathorn, Okra and Acacia also by Hathorn, Harry and the Anzac Poppy by Lockyer, Possum Magic by Mem Fox, Shy the

  6. I agree that Abhorsen is the best of Nix’s books (the ones I’ve read, anyway).
    And Cheryly, anything by EMily Rodda is worthr eading – I should have mentioend her, so thanks for remidning me. I was fortuante enough to interview EMily for Reading Time magazine last eyar.
    Also LOVE Shaun Tan. A genius and a nice guy too.

  7. I think Garth Nix is the only Australian author I’ve read anything by, and I like the Abhorsen trilogy best of his books (so far). Diary of a Wombat is on my list of books to read, though.

  9. My very favorite Australian book is Pigs Might Fly by Emily Rodda. It is wonderful! Such an incredibly well written middle-grade fantasy.

  11. Samantha Seagull’s Sandals by Gordon Winch with its lovely message about being different. The pic book was in print for 23 years and is to be re-published in 2010. Yay!
    Kay

  13. I loved the possibilites of Playing Beatie Bow by Ruth Park, the switch between historical and fantasy really excites me. So that was a favourite for me as a writer on the early stages of her craft.

  15. I am very ashamed to say that the only Australian book I have ever read is The Arrival by Shaun Tan. :o( The Arrival knocked me off my feet, but I know I need to read more Australian children’s/YA books! Any recommendations for which titles I should start with?

    Happy Australia Day! :o)

  16. The Magic Pudding by Norman Lindsay…an Aussie friend sent me a copy and I was completely entranced. I someday hope to be a member of the Honorable Society of Puddin’ Owners

  17. My choice would be Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox. I love all of Fox’s work, but especially this one! It always makes me cry and I use it in my classroom every year to write about memories.

  18. Tricia – I read magic Hat about a gazillion times to my kids, and we all love Diary of a Wombat, too. Great chocies.

    Sally O, these all sound intriguing, though I must admit I haven’t read them i do love Catherine Jinks’ work – but Witchbank is one I haven’t read. Must keep an eye out for all of tehse recommendations.

    Thanks for sharing ladies.

  19. Excluding books I love for personal reasons, “Polymer”, by Sally Rogers-Davidson is a brilliant book that ties in first place with “Witchbank”, by Catherine Jinks and the “Chain of Charms” series by Kate Forsyth. They are all wonderfully individual takes on done-to-death genres (though not, admittedly, done to death… or even often … in Australia. Polymer is space opera with a gloriously

  22. One Hungry Spider, Jeannie Baker. It was a favourite with my children, but it also showed me that a counting book could be much more than just numbers.

  23. I have that problem, too, Bookchook.
    And I love Possum magic, too. I especially love Julie Vivas’ illustrations – she is a wodnerful illustrator.

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