Tag: Christobel Mattingley

Forward March, by Christobel Mattingley & David Kennett

Forward MarchIn towns and cities across Australia bells ring,
drums beat, bagpipes keen, kilts swing, medals jingle,
proud battalion banners flutter and for a moment
the music of the bands is swallowed by the scream
of jets in formation flypast…

On Anzac Day every year Australians gather at war memorials and line streets to commemorate the men and women who fought and served not only in World War 1, but in conflicts before and since, including the Boer War, World War 11, Vietnam, Korea, the Gulf and more. Forward March explores what happens at the Anzac Day marches, and the events they commemorate.

Simple text highlights who we are remembering, and why, and the many illustrations, using techniques including acrylic paint, pencils and ink say so very much. Most spreads have multiple smaller illustrations, in rectangles reminiscent of photographs or postcards. The contemporary scenes of parades and ceremonies are in full colour while those of older scenes are in sepia or duller tones, visually delineating past and present. There are seemingly endless opportunities to discover details and explore what is happening in the illustrations, and the sparse text allows room for this to happen, in a perfect complement.

Suitable for classroom use near ANZAC Day or at any time of year, but also great for home reading and discussion.

Forward March, by Christobel Mattingley & David Kennett
Omnibus Books, 2016
ISBN 9781742990804

My Father’s Islands by Christobel Mattingley

‘Hello! Call me Claesgen.

Do you like islands? Do you wish you could discover a treasure island? What kind of treasure would you like to find? Gold? Silver? Rubies? Sapphires?

My father is very good at discovering islands. Big ones as well as small ones. He has seen more islands than a fish has scales. What is your father good at?

‘Hello! Call me Claesgen.

Do you like islands? Do you wish you could discover a treasure island? What kind of treasure would you like to find? Gold? Silver? Rubies? Sapphires?

My father is very good at discovering islands. Big ones as well as small ones. He has seen more islands than a fish has scales. What is your father good at?

Do you have breakfast with your father? Every day? I wish I did. Does he come home every night? I wish mine did. Do you eat dinner with him?

My mother says I ask too many questions. Do people say that to you too?

Claesgen is the daughter of Dutch explorer Abel Tasman. Abel Tasman was employed by the Dutch East Indies Company, based in what we now know as Indonesia. He was away at sea for many months at a time. His family moved to Indonesia to be closer to him, but he could away at sea for almost a year, so they didn’t see him very often. But when he did return, he was full of stories. Some of these stories were detailed in his ship’s log/diary, but others were just for Claesgen and her mother. Claesgen tells her story and that of her father from her perspective. She also speaks directly to the reader, supposing a reader of her age, from 1642-4. The text is interspersed with paintings, maps, and writings taken from Tasman’s own records.

It’s hard to know where to place My Father’s Islands. It’s written for mid- to upper primary reader, but has resonance for a much wider age-group. Claesgen’s curiosity and unending questions intersperse her retelling of an adventure that is unimaginable to most of us. It is a part of history that many Australians are under- or unaware of. Readers will engage on different levels. Some will relate to the notion of fathers who are not always home. Others will respond to the details of life at sea, and/or to the interactions that Tasman and his crew have with inhabitants of the lands they visit and map. ‘My Father’s Islands’ is a fascinating insight into another time and way of life. Recommended for mid- upper primary and anyone wanting to learn more about Australia.

My Father's Islands: Abel Tasman's Heroic Voyages

My Father’s Islands: Abel Tasman’s Heroic Voyages, Christobel Mattingley NLA Publishing 2012 ISBN: 9780642277367

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com

Battle Order 205, by Christobel Mattingley

David was also a casualty. Wounded in five places by flying metal. Right knee, thigh and shoulder hit. Tendons and artery in right hand severed. Ad shrapnel ripped through his thick leather helmet, fracturing his skull.
David lost consciousness.
Dog went into a dive.

As he grew up in Tasmania, young David Mattingley wanted just one thing – to learn to fly. By the time he left school, Australia was about to become involved in World War 11, and his chance to follow his dream was to sign up to join the Australian air force. He did this, and after extensive training, found himself a pilot on bombing missions out of England.

Battle Order 204 is the true story of David Mattingley’s life, especially his years in the air force, written by his wife, acclaimed Australian author Christobel Mattingley. This is a gripping story, told in straightforward language and with the focus on the human elements of the war. Readers are invited to witness David’s friendships, his emotions and his struggles, as well as his courage and the highpoints of his service time.

Mattingley offers insight into war which will intrigue both teen and adult readers.

Battle Order 204

Battle Order 204, by Christobel Mattingley
Allen & Unwin, 2007

This book can be purchased online at Fishpond.