ANZAC – Aussie Reviews

Meet the ANZACS, by Claire Saxby & Max Berry

ANZAC is the name given to the Australian and New Zealand troops who landed at Gallipoli in World War I. ANZAC is now a symbol of bravery and mateship. this is the story of how the ANZAC legend began.

With 2014 marking the centenary of the First World War, and with ANZAC Day just a couple of months away, the release of Meet the ANZACs is timely. Part of the Meet… series, this offering varies from earlier titles in the series in that it focusses on a group rather than on a single individual. This works wonderfully, with author Saxby developing a sense of who the men were who together created the legend. In a relatively few words we learn of the motivations of those who joined up, their dreams and expectations, the training and difficulties they endure, and their feelings they await their first deployment on Gallipoli.

Illustrations, by Max Berry, complement the story, with changes in perspective and focus capturing the range of scenes from bush and city in Australia, to the deserts of Cairo and the landing at Gallipoli. In keeping with the story the illustrations depict a range of men, giving some sense of the range of different backgrounds and ages of the soldiers.

As with all books in this series, back of book timeline provides a more comprehensive overview, in this case of the passage of the First World War.

Meet the ANZACs provides a wonderful introduction to the soldiers who forged the ANZAC legend and, as such, is perfect for classroom use but equally appropriate for home reading.

Meet the ANZACs (Meet...)

Meet the ANZACs, by Claire Saxby, illustrated by Max Berry
Random House, 2014
ISBN 9780857981929

Available from good bookstores and online.

Disclaimer: The reviewer has also contributed to the ‘Meet’ series, having authored an earlier title in the series. The review was written with every attempt to consider this title independently.

From the Trenches: The Best Anzac Writing of World War One, edited by Mark Dapin

Under a grey October sky
The little squads that drill
Click arms and legs mechanically,
Emptied of ragged will!

Of ragged will that frets the sky
From crags just ragged Pines,
a wayward immortality,
That flies from Death’s trim lines. (Walter J Turner)

Many books have been written about the experiences of Australians and New Zealanders at war, but From the Trenches offers a book now just about those who served, but also written by them, in the form of a collection of writings from World War One. Including poetry, letters, diary entries and recounts, the books serves as a reminder of the very human face of the war, its toll on those who fought and served, and its impact on all Australians and New Zealanders.

Grouped chronologically and geographically from the time of joining up, to Gallipoli, the Middle East and Western Front and beyond, to epitaphs and the time beyond returning home, the writings range from the intensely personal, to the reportage of the facts and even to humour. Readers could choose to read the book cover to cover, but equally could dip into readings.

Suitable for history buffs, lovers of literature and more, From the Trenches offers a touching, accessible insight into the times.

Book Cover: From the Trenches: the best ANZAC writing of World War One

From the Trenches: The Best ANZAC Writing of World War One, edited by Mark Dapin
Penguin, 2013
ISBN 9780670077816

Available from good bookstores and online.

Anzac Biscuits, by Phil Cummings and Owen Swan

The fire crackled and Rachel was warm.
‘Let’s make some biscuits for Dad,’ her mother said.
‘Yes, let’s!’ Rachel cried.

Rachel and her mother are at home on the family farm in Australia. Far away (presumably, though this isn’t stated, in Europe), her father, a soldier, battles the cold, the mud and the horrors of war. As Rachel and Mum bake Anzac biscuits, they are unknowingly linked to Dad. When the biscuits are baked, they will be sent to Dad, making that link real.

Anzac Biscuits is a beautiful story of love and connection, particularly in times of war. In alternate spreads we see Rachel and her mother making the biscuits, then Dad cold and afraid on the battlefield. The actions are subtly linked – when Mother dons a flower-patterned apron, and Rachel accidentally drops a pan, Dad lies low from the banging of rifle shots in a flower-strewn field; when Rachel licks her sticky treacle fingers, Dad’s feet are sticky with mud.

Text and illustration are both simple and touching. The war scenes are are depicted in greys whilst the home scenes are warm creamy sepias and blues. The images of war focus on the harshness of the conditions and the emotions of the lonely soldiers rather than on more startling battlefield images, making the story accessible to young children.

A lovely tale, and a beautiful way of introducing both the subject of war and the history of Anzac biscuits. And, if you’re like me, you may find yourself inspired to whip up a batch of biscuits after reading.

Anzac Biscuits, by Phil Cummings & Owen Swan
Scholastic, 2013
ISBN 9781742833460

Available from good bookstores and online.

Light Horse Boy, by Dianne Wolfer

Now I understand why the landing on April 25th is being called heroic.
We’ve landed in hell.
Bob didn’t make it. He was hit as we struggled ashore. I keep going over that moment. Writing a letter to his wife was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Harder even than going over the side of our ship.

Britain has declared war on Germany, and Australia has vowed to be there. Jim, seeing a chance for adventure rushes to join up before the war ends without him. Soon he and his horse, Breaker, are sailing from Melbourne, off to do their bit. For four years Jim lives the terrible reality of life on the frontline. If he ever returns home, he will be a changed man.

Light Horse Boy is a beautiful record of one soldier’s war. Whilst fiction, it presents a story which could so well be the story of a real soldier’s experience. Using a blend of third person narrative and letters, chiefly between Jim and his sister Alice, back in Australia, Woofer takes readers on a journey through the the years of the first World War, focussing on the role of the Lighthorseman in Gallipoli and Egypt.

Light Horse Boy is a companion volume to Lighthouse Girl and features the same beautiful hard cover design and the brilliant illustrative work of Brian Simmonds. The two complement each other beautifully, though focussing on different aspects of the same war and featuring different characters (with the exception of Charlie, who is friends with Jim but also connects with the lighthouse girl, Fay).

A picture book for older readers, Light Horse Boy is suitable for upper primary and teens.

Light Horse Boy, by Dianne Wolfer, illustrated by Brian Simmonds
Fremantle Press, 2013
ISBN 9781922089137

Available from good bookstores or online.

Great Anzac Stories, by Graham Seal

Talk about go! We did go. We could only just see the enemey, as it was only break of day. You ought to have heard the cheer when they gave us the word to charge. You could have heard it for miles if you could have stopped to listen. Some were saying (or roaring), ‘Come on Australia!’ and others ‘Australia for ever!’…

For almost 100 years the story of the first Anzac Day has been told. Even before that day in 1915, Australian soldiers were making a name for themselves, and in the years since brave Australian men and women have continued to fight, to heal, to serve and to survive, on the battlefield and at home, in times of conflict.

Great Anzac Stories: The Men and Women Who Created the Digger Legend shares stories of Gallipoli and beyond, using first person accounts, news stories of the day and recollections of those who were there in the years that followed. There are stories of bravery, of tragedy and of humour joined by Graham Seal’s narrative and comment, in a form accessible to the layman readers.

This is accessible history.

Great Anzac Stories: The Men and Women Who Created the Digger Legend, by Graham Seal
Allen & Unwin, 2012
ISBN 9781743310595

Available from good bookstores and online.

Lone Pine, by Susie Brown & Margaret Warner

The soldier slips the pine cone into his pocket. It is a reminder of this sad day.
Then he keeps searching for his brother.

As he searches for his brother on the battlefield after the Battle of Lone Pine, a soldier finds a pine cone. He pockets it, and later sends it home to his mother. Bereft at the loss of one of her boys, the mother plants seeds from the cone, two of which grow into saplings. Determined to help people remember the Battle and the soldiers who died, she sends one tree to Inverell, where her sons grew up, and the other to Canberra. Nearly 100 years later one of those trees still survives in Canberra. In Inverell, a tree planted from the seeds of the first grows.

Lone Pine is a touching reminder of the events of Lone Pine, and of the true story of how a mother commemorated her lost son, and all who fell in that battle. It is also a reminder of the personal and national impact of war. The story manages a gentle balance between the horror of war, the sorrow of those left behind and the importance of remembering, and the illustrations, in chiefly sombre tones mirror the serious nature of the topic, with lovely touches of light offering hope, especially in th beautiful final spread showing the tree which has weathered many storms to survive. This spread is also used as a lovely contrast to the opening spread which shows the tree against a black stormy sky being thrashed by a storm. Back of book notes offer information about the battle, the trees and the family on which the story is based.

A beautiful story, suitable for classroom or private reading.

Lone Pine, by Susie Brown & Margaret Warner, illustrated by Sebastian Ciaffaglione
Little Hare 2012
ISBN 9781921541346

This book is available in good bookstores or online from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.

The Red Poppy, by David Hill &Fifi Colston

The two soldiers come from opposite sides of the conflict but, in spite of language difficulties, realise they have more in common than they could have imagined, and help each other to stay alive.

The night before the battle,
Jim McLeod wrote to his mother and his sister Edith.
He said nothign about the day to come, nor the mud’and the rats> he didn’t mention the piles of stretchers
waiting for the dead and wounded…

Jim McLeod waits in the trenches waiting for the order to attack the enemy. As he waits, he spies a patch of red poppies that the battle has left untouched. Later, as he scurries across no-man’s land, he takes refuge in a crater right where the poppies were. As he lies wounded he realises he is sharing his hole with an enemy soldier, also wounded. Forging an unlikely alliance, the pair figure a way to seek help, with the aid of a rescue dog and one of those red poppies.

The Red Poppy is a beautiful picture book offering about war and humanity. The two soldiers come from opposite sides of the conflict but, in spite of language difficulties, realise they have more in common than they could have imagined, and help each other to stay alive. The story doesn’t hold back on the horrors of war and its impact. The sepia toned illustrations, brightened with the reds of the poppies, reflect the time period and the serious nature of the subject matter, as well as helping readers to understand why the red poppy is used as a symbol of remembrance. At the back of the books are the lyrics for a song, ‘Little Red Poppy’, by Rob Kennedy, and a CD recording of the song is included.

Released in plenty of time for Anzac Day, this is an excellent educational resource which is also suitable for private reading.

The Red Poppy, by David Hill, illustrated by Fifi Colston
Scholastic NZ
ISBN 9781869439989

This book is available in good bookstores or online from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.

Anzac Heroes, edited by George Low

From the shores of Gallipoli, to the outback of Australia, to the muddied battle fields of France, the ANZAC legend spreads far and wide. This book is a collection of the best ANZAC stories from Commando magazine. For years the magazine has played host to many exciting stories from World War I and II, but rarely do they publish stories of the ANZACs, so this book exists to collect these stories of the Aussies and the Kiwis together in one volume. The stories are presented in comic form, with great black and white artwork telling the stories of the ANZACs in a way no written work alone could.

This collection is great for ages 10 and older, but anyone can enjoy these timeless stories of the ANZAC legend. The fact files between and during stories make this an informative and entertaining read. This is perfect for a long period of reading, with each of the twelve stories being completely self-sustained.

A thrilling collection.

Anzac Heroes: The Best 10 Anzac War Stories Ever!, by George Low (ed)
Crows Nest, 2009

This book can be purchased online from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.

My Grandad Marches on Anzac Day, by Catriona Hoy

I sit on Daddy’s shoulders.
It’s a very long wait, but my grandad will come.
My grandad marches on Anzac Day.

Anzac Day is an important remembrance of the men and women who have fought and died for our country throughout our history. Whilst few would refute the import of the day, it is not always an easy concept to share with young children.

In My Grandad Marches on Anzac Day, talented new author Catriona Hoy, makes the story of Anzac Day accessible to children through a telling of one Anzac Day through the eyes of a granddaughter who goes to the Anzac Day parade to watch her grandfather march. She shares her observations of the day very realistically – from the observation of how cold it is at dawn, to the way Grandad smiles at her as he proudly marches past. She explains why her grandad marches – and what Anzac Day means – in very simple terms.

The illustrations, painted in acrylic and mixed media by Benjamin Johnson, are richly textured and present the scenes of the parade and of war in a way which does not gloss over the reality, but is still appropriate for young viewers.

This is an outstanding introduction to an important ceremony and will be invaluable as a classroom resource, but should also find a home in every family library.

First published in hardcover in 2006, My Grandad Marches on Anzac Day has been released in paperback in time for Anzac Day.

Brilliant.

My Grandad Marches on Anzac Day, by Catriona Hoy and Benjamin Johnson Lothian, 2006, 2008

This book can be purchased online from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.