Search Results for: mark greenwood

The Kelly Gang Kids

The Kelly Gang Kids

The Kelly Gang Kids

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Kelly Gang Kids

Coral Vass

Deb Hudson

MidnightSun, 2024

32oo., hbk., RRP $A29.99

9781922858375

School’s out and four rambunctious boys chase each other through the streets of Avenel. a tiny town in Central Victoria, causing havoc as they run through clotheslines, accidentally let Peterson’s sheep out of their paddock, and are oblivious to the chaos they cause at the blacksmith’s where they temporarily seek shelter.  But their escapade is cut short when they get to the old billabong and they spy a young boy in trouble in the water, clearly unable to swim and in danger of drowning.  Without thinking, the eldest, Ned, dives in and saves the boy, and suddenly the town’s rascal becomes the town’s hero, awarded a green silk sash by the boy’s family as thanks…

For many, such a story might make the local nightly news and then be forgotten by those not directly involved, but this one is different – perhaps there is a clue in the title – because it is 1865 and Ned is Ned Kelly who grew up to the THAT Ned Kelly who is such a prominent figure in Australia’s folklore, and the other three are his brother Dan, and his friends Joe Byrne and Steve Hart, all of whom also have their place in the stories of the infamous Kelly Gang.  And the green sash  is still on display at the Costume and Kelly Museum, retrieved from beneath the famous metal armour worn during his last battle with police at Glenrowan in 1888.

The green sash on display in Benalla, Victoria

The green sash on display in Benalla, Victoria

Author Coral Vass has a number of children’s books including Sorry Day and Jørn’s Magnificent Imagination that help young readers understand the people, places and events that have shaped this country and this one is no different.  With its rhyme and rhythm that rollicks along like the four boys themselves, the story brings to life another side of Ned Kelly, one that shows a boy pretty much like so many others of his generation but who did an extraordinary thing, both then and later.  It might spark questions, not only about Kelly himself, but what life was like in those days of no internet, social media, television, organised sport or cultural pursuits, and where attending school wasn’t even compulsory until years later. How would today’s kids entertain themselves?

The illustrations bring the text to life as the boys go on their merry way adding humour and drama as their exuberance leaves a trail of destruction, but through the repetitive refrain of the victims, the reader gets the impression that their antics are not uncommon. 

“You rascals! What mess!”
the old Blacksmith said,
chasing behind
and shaking his head. 

But WHIZ out of sight
and swift on their way,
the Kelly Gang kids
skedaddled away.

An entertaining and engaging story that could well send the budding historian down many rabbit holes as they seek to find out more about this larger-than-life character and decide, as in this story, whether he is hero or villain.

For those wanting to know more, they might be able to track down Ned Kelly and the Green Sash by Mark Greenwood and Frané Lessac from 2014.

 

 

The Vanishing

The Vanishing

The Vanishing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Vanishing

Mark Greenwood

Fremantle Press, 2024

112pp., pbk., RRP $A14.99

9781760993962

October 21, 1978.  A clear Spring night perfect for flying and a small Cessna plane takes off from Moorabbin Airport in Melbourne bound for King Island, a trip that should take just over an hour to complete.  At the controls is a young pilot Frederick Valentich  whose intention is to land at King Island, pick up some crayfish and return home to his parents.

With a full fuel tanks giving him five hours flying time and a range of 800 kilometres, Fred checks in with Melbourne Flight Service, and hugging the Victorian coastline, advises them when is over Cape Otway before heading over Bass Strait to the island.  But six minutes out from Cape Otway, Fred contacts them again asking for information about any other aircraft in the area because there is something mysterious flying below him.  What follows is a six-minute conversation in which he remains calm but confused about this other craft, which ends in a series of strange sounds followed by silence but which begins one of Australia’s most baffling aviation mysteries.  For no trace of Fred or his aircraft has ever been found…

Another in the History Hunter series, this is an intriguing story made all the moreso because not only is it true, but it is also recent and there will be many parents who remember the publicity surrounding the disappearance.  Complete with the transcript of the conversation between Steve Robey of Melbourne Air Traffic Control Flight Service, the story details the flight of the Cessna and the subsequent search for it, including the many theories and sightings of what were then known as UFOs (Unidentified Flying Objects) and what are now labelled UAPs (Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena). What was the strangely lit, cigar-shaped craft that seemed to be travelling faster than any known aircraft at the time, and able to come at him from every direction, turning almost at whim?

The plaque commemorates the landmark of the disappearance of Frederick Valentich.

As with The Dragon’s Treasurethis is a compelling read that raises more questions than it answers -because the mystery has never been solved – and while it is written for a younger readership, it is one that is going to appeal to anyone with an interest in real-life mysteries, aviation and UAPs. As well as the more-to-explore pages, a simple online search offers lots of avenues to find out more and rabbit-holes to wander down.  Teaching notes can guide these explorations but the one question that remains unanswered, apart from what happened to Fred that night, is are we alone in the universe?

The Dragon’s Treasure

The Dragon’s Treasure

The Dragon’s Treasure

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Dragon’s Treasure

Mark Greenwood

Fremantle Press, 2024

112pp., pbk., RRP $A14.99

9781760993948

Summer, 1931, on a remote Western Australian beach and four children are following fox tracks along the beach when they discover something much more extraordinary than the fox… 

And so begins the true story of a mystery that spans nearly 400 years, with still more questions than answers.  

Even though the existence of “The Great South Land” was probably known to Portuguese explorers in the early 16th century,  it wasn’t until a century later when  the the Dutch East India Company, the Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie (VOC) began trading with what was then the East Indies, now Indonesia, that landfall was actually made, with the legacy of Dirk Hartog in 1616 marking the first known visit.  But the West Australian coast seemed to be a hostile place, and a number of VOC ships were wrecked on their journey to Batavia, and so it was not settled permanently.  

Among those was the Vergulde Draeck (Gilt Dragon), and once again, history hunter Mark Greenwood has brought a little known story to life, in absorbing tale that has all the elements to attract the young reader who enjoys real-life mysteries  – an ancient shipwreck, eight missing chests of treasure, a mysterious skeleton, the discovery of old coins, a strange circle of limestone rocks, and desperate castaways abandoned on a bleak, isolated coast.  Beginning with an old,  obscure article in a newspaper about children finding old coins, and drawing on a range of resources (many of which are listed for further reading), some real and imagined illustrations of the events and his own natural curiosity, Greenwood takes the reader on a journey into the past that explains some things but raises questions about others.

Like his History Mysteries series, and his picture books that delve deep into the stories of this country, this is a new series that is going to capture the imagination and perhaps inspire more history hunters like him.  To help this, there are teaching notes available, and The Vanishing, a much more recent mystery that even I recall, is already available and there are at least two more to come.  

This is a series that offers so many pathways to explore – digging deeper into the stories that Greenwood features; reading one to determine if it is a series that the library should ensure it gets the others; or even delving into a local mystery and suggesting to the author that it is one that he might like to follow up and extend the series.  All offer opportunities for further reading and reading with purpose.  

Our Country: Where History Happened

Our Country: Where History Happened

Our Country: Where History Happened

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Country: Where History Happened

Mark Greenwood

Frané Lessac

Walker , 2023

40pp., hbk., RRP $A26.99

9781760653576

In the first book in this series, the creators took readers on a journey to the ancient wonders of this land – landscapes and landshapes that have existed for billions of years. Now, they have put its people in the picture, tracing some of the significant events that have shaped the life lived today.

Beginning with the statement, “The story of our country is told in stone”, the reader begins their new journey with a visit to Ubirr in the Northern Territory, one of over 100 000 important rock art sites around Australia that pass on the historical, cultural and spiritual knowledge of Australia’s First Nations peoples.  They then move on to the significance of a pewter plate with a chiselled inscription nailed to a post in 1616 in Western Australia, showing that the story of this country can be told through pictures and words, artefacts and mementos just as much as it is through observed and lived events.   The journey continues through a timeline of other important events – mapped out on the front endpaper – each including that basic statement,  a broad explanation with language reminiscent of a tourist brochure as well as a brief, fact-filled paragraph about the event itself.   And all set against a backdrop of Frané Lessac’s stunning artwork! Then, acknowledging that there is much more to this story than can be covered in a picture book, the final endpaper has a different timeline of other critical events inviting the reader to find out more and perhaps even produce their own entry for the book. 

Younger students are often challenged by the relevance of having to study that which has happened before their time, particularly as their maturity level has them living in the here-and-now exacerbated by the instant connectivity the internet offers, and so this book is the most attractive and engaging way to introduce them to the concept of times past and how those times have shaped their here-and-now.  Would we have had the recent Voice referendum, even the daily Acknowledgement of Country, if not for the work of Eddie Mabo?  Would they have even been born in Australia if not for the impact of World War II on Europe and the waves of migrants who sought a new life here? 

As well as being a must-have entry level book to learning about the history of the country they live in, the content, format and potential of this book ensures its inclusion in collections spanning all ages and abilities especially if students are old enough to step beyond what happened and consider what if… If Dirk Hartog had done more than nail a plate to a post and claimed this country for the Dutch; if French captain de Surville had turned west to investigate the land his crew claimed they could smell five months before Captain Cook claimed the continent for England… 

History in the form of facts and figures, dates long gone and people long dead, can be greeted with a groan by many, but this series with its engaging format and just the right amount of information to bring it into the realm of the reader has the power and potential to grab the imagination and spark a desire to learn more.  It epitomises the theme Australia: Story Country.

Our Country: Ancient Wonders

Our Country: Ancient Wonders

Our Country: Ancient Wonders

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Country: Ancient Wonders

Mark Greenwood

Frané Lessac

Walker Books, 2022

40pp., hbk., RRP $A26.99

 9781760652241

Our country is calling…

There could be no more fitting way to start a new year’s reading journey than with this stunning journey around our ancient land visiting natural wonders that date back 2.5 billion years!

From the front endpage that maps out the route to the wonders gathered in the book – Lark Quarry, Undara Lava Tubes, Lightning Ridge, Great Ocean Road, Cradle Mountain, Franklin River, Naracoorte, Lake Mungo, Uluru and Kata Tjuta, Devils Marbles, Kakadu, Wolfe Creek, Bungle Bungles, Zebedee Springs – to the final one that maps adventures still to undertake we are taken on an expedition in an old tour bus that both explores and explains a handful of the features that make Australia unique. 

Each double page spread introduces a ‘new’ phenomenon in a fascinating way that makes this book so readable.

History hunter Mark Greenwood is in his element with this topic as he combines both geology and geography beginning with  a basic statement such as “Our country had a fiery past” and “Lost worlds are found in our country” which not only set the scene for the basis of the visit but create a deeper appreciation of why our First Nations people feel such a connection to Country. Then there is a broad explanation with language reminiscent of a tourist brochure as well as a brief, fact-filled paragraph about the origins of the particular beauty.  And all set against a backdrop of Frané Lessac’s stunning artwork! 

At a time when travel remains so tricky, this is a book that is a must-have in both the home and school library.  For the family, it is an opportunity to plan a journey (or two or three) to discover the remarkable land shapes and landscapes that are our own backyard; while in the school setting, a class could go on a new journey every few weeks!  Set teams to investigate each location in greater detail to introduce it to their peers on a year-long journey that not only explores the feature in greater depth but also helps them understand the origins of the planet’s topography and the interplay between it and the environment, again strengthening that understanding of connection to Country. The historians can delve into the land before time, scientists can dig into geology, paleontology and all the other ologies; the mathematicians can plot timelines, distances, routes…; the artists can produce posters and brochures; the storytellers can dig into the legends and retell them (or invent a new one); the environmentalists can examine the interaction between landscape, habitat and inhabitants… there is something for everyone to show and share their strengths. 

Here are some useful links to start – making yourself familiar with what’s available through Geoscience Australia could be your best move this year…

Table of Geological Periods

Geoscience Australia – Education resources

Geoscience Australia classroom resources 

Australia through Time  (map)

Australia Through Time (poster)

Shaping a Nation: A Geology of Australia    this is a book with each chapter available separately

Australia: an ancient land (teacher notes)

And the best news is that this is just the  first book in the Our Country series which will takes readers on even more  journeys across Australia to discover  both our unique geology and geography! A whole year’s worth of lessons sorted!! If ever there were a book that deserved the tag Australia: Story Country or even Dreaming with your eyes open – this is it. 

 

The Book of Stone

The Book of Stone

The Book of Stone

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Book of Stone

Mark Greenwood

Coral Tulloch

Walker Books, 2019

40pp., hbk., RRP $A27.99

9781760650872

They are such common, ordinary things – carefully but carelessly trodden over or picked up and thrown – but in this unique and stunning book,  Mark Greenwood shares his passion for stones with young readers as he shows that each has a story to tell. Whether its origins are deep within the heart of the earth or the outer reaches of space, each has its own shape, colour, pattern and texture, shaped by that story which will continue to be added to as it evolves. Even the simple act of throwing a stone into a river will change and continue its story.

Encased in a cover that resembles an engraved stone, and flanked by stunning endpapers that show the diversity of what are generally seen as a grey, amorphous mass, Coral Tulloch’s illustrations bring each stone and its story to life, perhaps encouraging the reader to look more closely, to wonder and reflect, to explore further. Where was the stone born? What has it been used for? Who has used it? How did it get here? What does it ell us about its past and that of the planet? What does it look like inside? Why? What magic do they foretell or keep?

Whenever I travel through our local countryside and see the huge granite boulders, remnants of ancient mountains long since eroded away by wind, weather and time, I get to put present events into perspective in the bigger scheme of things. And so it is with stones – they will endure long after the current drought, bushfires and personal circumstances pass, may even be shaped by those events but not extinguished by them and so I have deliberately chosen this to be the first review of the new year and the new decade. It offers a chance to reflect not just on the landscape and the environment but also our own lives, and perhaps begin a new chapter in the story.

Changing the story of the stones...

Changing the story of the stones…

 

Moonwalkers

Moonwalkers

Moonwalkers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Moonwalkers

Mark Greenwood

Terry Denton

Puffin, 2019

32pp., hbk., RRP $A19.99

9780143793557

July 21, 1969 and like so many Australian children, Billy stared at the moon in amazement through his telescope wondering if it was really possible for man to land on the moon. Nearby, in a sheep paddock , a much larger telescope was also trained skywards as Apollo 11 with Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins on board, made its historic voyage.  

For the three days between launch and landing Billy taught his little sister and brother all about how to be astronauts, building models, making spacesuits, using the bath to experience lunar gravity and recreating the Command Module in their bedroom. And as that large telescope in the field nearby beamed live pictures of the landing, the whole family sat transfixed in front of their television and watched and wondered. 

Man’s first landing on the moon was one of those momentous occasions in history when those who were alive can recall exactly where they were and what they were doing, and all collectively wondering whether the astronauts would make it back to Earth safely.  Greenwood and Denton have taken this event and woven the facts and details into a stunning story that will not only bring back memories for many but also introduce the emotions and intricacies of the event to new generations who take space exploration for granted, perhaps even having it on their to-do list. Using their own memories as the basis for the story- it was near Denton’s birthday and he was convinced it was some sort of special birthday present – they have created a story that shows the power of imagination coming true as generations of children throughout the centuries have looked at the moon and wondered “what if…?” What dreams will this story inspire?

A great story in itself, it is also the perfect springboard to investigating the event as the 50th anniversary approaches and there is also an activity pack to accompany it. 

The Happiness Box

The Happiness Box

The Happiness Box

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Happiness Box

Mark Greenwood

Andrew McLean

Walker Books, 2018

32pp/. hbk., RRP $A24.99

 9781925081381

February, 1942.  Despite fierce battles, amazing resistance and extraordinary bravery, the fall of Singapore – known as “the Gibraltar of the east” because of its strategic position – was imminent as the Japanese steadily advanced through South East Asia. 

Amongst the women and children and more than 50 000 allied troops taken prisoner of war and herded into the notorious Changi Prison, was Sergeant David ‘Griff ‘ Griffin who tried to keep up the morale of the men by encouraging them to read and tell stories in what became a living hell for those interned, including my father-in-law.  Concerned for the children cooped up without books or toys and with Christmas approaching he and his colleague Captain Leslie Greener inspired the men to make toys with whatever they could find. Griffin was better with words than his hands so using paper scrounged from wherever he could find it, he crafted a story about three friends – Winston the lizard, Martin the Monkey and Wobbly the frog – who found a box that contained the secrets to happiness.  Greener illustrated it and it was typed and bound. 

But the Japanese commander had determined that he must inspect all the toys before they could be given to the children and when presented with The Happiness Box he declared it subversive because the lizard shared the same name as the British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and thus it must contain secret messages.  A mate stepped in and declared he would ensure the story was destroyed, and Griff braced himself for the inevitable beating, although the greater pain was knowing that none of the children received any gifts at all – the Japanese general exacting the greatest retribution.

The full story of The Happiness Box and its creators is told in the final pages of the book, one of the few stories of happiness and hope that emerged from the misery and brutality of Changi and the Japanese occupation – one that needed the mastery of both Greenwood and McLean to bring it to a new generation, although five years ago it was made into a musical for young people and for those in Sydney, there will be a one-off performance of it on November 4.

The book itself survived the war, having been buried rather than destroyed, and toured Australia along with Sir Don Bradman’s cricket bat and Ned Kelly’s helmet as part of the National Treasures exhibition from Australia’s great libraries. Griffin, who eventually became Lord Mayor of Sydney, donated it to the State Library of NSW where it is currently held.

The original

The original

If ever there were a book that fits the deeper meaning of this year’s CBCA Book Week theme Find Your Treasure then this is it!

 

History Mysteries: Lasseter’s Gold

Lasseter's Gold

Lasseter’s Gold

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lasseter’s Gold

Mark Greenwood

Puffin, 2017

88pp., pbk., RRP $A12.99

9780143309321

In the 1930s as the Great Depression held Australia in its grip and people desperately wanted something to hope for, Harold Lasseter walked into the office of the president of the Australian Workers’ Union with a tale to tell that remains one of Australia’s greatest mysteries to this day.

He told Mr Bailey of a magnificent gold reef  that in 1897 he had discovered in the harsh, inhospitable and inaccessible country that is the desert lands where South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory meet.  But he lacked the money, manpower and equipment to return to it to exploit it although if the AWU were to back him…

Historian and author Mark Greenwood has taken his fascination with this subject that he first wrote about in The Legend of Lasseter’s Reef and turned it into another episode in this wonderful History Mysteries series, bringing the story of Harold Lasseter and his legendary reef to yet another generation of readers.  Was Lasseter genuine – or a conman? Where are the three hills that look like “ladies wearing sunbonnets”, “a group of Dickens women in Dombey and Sons”?,  Is there still a rich reef of gold waiting to be discovered – even explorer Dick Smith won’t divulge what he discovered!  If it is there, should it be explored and exploited or should the mystery be forever consigned to Australian folklore?

Accompanied by archival photos, a timeline, links to further information and references to his friendship with Lasseter’s son Bob who believes his father’s story and has made several expeditions to reveal the truth, this is just the sort of tale that will grip young readers encouraging them to look backwards as well as forwards and discover the stories of this country.

 

History Mysteries: Diamond Jack

History Mysteries: Diamond Jack

History Mysteries: Diamond Jack

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

History Mysteries: Diamond Jack

Mark Greenwood

Puffin Books, 2017

88pp., pbk., RRP $A12.99

9780143309260

March 1942 – the Japanese have reached Indonesia and there is a constant stream of flights shuttling refugees from Java to the safe haven of Broome on the north-west coast of Western Australia.  Russian flying ace Captain Smirnoff is piloting one of the last planes to leave Bandung Airport, an old DC3 stripped back to the bare minimum to allow for as many passengers as possible including five Dutch pilots, a trainee flight engineer, a mother and her 18 month old son.  

Just as they are about to take off an official jumps on board and hands Smirnoff a package, tell him to “Take great care of this.  Someone from the bank will collect it when you land.”

Unfortunately for Smirnoff, his crew and his passengers, the Japanese have switched their target to Broome and just an hour from their destination they are shot down. Despite injuries and continuing Japanese fire, Smirnoff manages to bring the plane down on the edge of  the beach…

What happened next – the survival and rescue of the passengers; the finding and the contents of the mysterious package and the enigmatic  man who became known as Diamond Jack are the centre of this intriguing true tale that still remains unanswered 75 years on. Should he have done what he did?  Is “finders keepers” really the rule to live by?  

Rudyard Kipling once said, “If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten” and in this new series from self-confessed history-hunter Mark Greenwood there are stories told that would otherwise have been forgotten, if they were ever widely known in the first place.  Short, engaging reads written in short chapters, large font and liberally illustrated they are not only perfect for the young reader moving on to independent reading but also those who may not have yet unlocked the key.  Greenwood writes an introduction that personalises the story as though he is talking directly to the reader, drawing them into this tale that is about to unfold and then, the tale told, he talks about the sources he has drawn on and provides a lot of extra information so not only is the story authenticated but there is scope for further discovery.

Something special to add to the collection and promote an interest in times past in a way seldom done. Australia- a country full of stories!