Wednesday, September 22, 2010

23rd September Jan Ormerod (1946 - 2013) Gary Crew (1947)






This is a change...an Australian day. Jan Ormerod is an Australian illustrator who lives in England, but who started her career as an art teacher in Western Australia and all Australians in the world of children's books like to think of her as one of us. As I write she is visiting Australia and I wish I could be in Canberra next week to see her at a local bookshop signing books. She has illustrated many well loved books such as Sunshine and Moonshine, textless books that tell the story of a child's day and evening. Many of Jan's early books were based on family life. Her later ones that she has written as well as illustrated such as Lizzie Nonsense and Water Witcher are set in an historical Australian context and her latest Shake a Leg which is written by Boori Monty Pryor brings Aboriginal dance and song to life. See the trailer. Most of her other books are written by English authors such as Lindsey Gardiner and Sarah Hayes.

Gary Crew is an Australian author who started his writing career while working as an English teacher and as such tends to write for adolescent audiences. He has won many awards for his novels and innovative picture books. Most of his picture books require mature and insightful reading but some of his books are suitable for my young clientele. In the library there are Tracks; Bright Star; First Light; In My Father's Room; Arno the Garbo and Memorial.

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