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Do dogs in the White House influence politics? It seems the answer could be yes. This fascinating article explores how mixed-breed Pushinka may have averted a Cold War nuclear catastrophe in the early 1960s. And check out this thought-provoking YouTube clip: dog lovers for Joe. You can’t fake a relationship with a dog, and showing… continue reading »
I’ve never read anything like this. Laura Jean McKay‘s novel is like anthropomorphism on steroids… I loved it. A strange pandemic is moving outwards from Australian cities (timely) and infected people can understand animals. This should be fascinating, but what the animals are saying isn’t that nice, and people are losing their minds. Jean, the… continue reading »
Thousands of Australian animals went to World War One. There were dogs, cats, cockatoos, kangaroos, wallabies, a rooster called Jackie and even a koala whose name was Teddy. These animal mascots helped cheer the homesick soldiers, but just one animal returned. Working animals also went to war; carrier pigeons, horses, and donkeys. Of the 136,000… continue reading »
In Australia, rabbits are destructive pests, so shy marsupial bilbies are the new heroes of Australian Easter Bunny stories. Bilbies look like rabbits. They’re a similar size and they have very long ears. Here are five stories with bilby characters. Three books share the same Easter topic with bilbies as the same central characters, but… continue reading »
Animals have long been used to help children make sense of challenging times. In 1940 a character well known to Australian children was enlisted to help young readers make sense of a complex and changing world. War is frightening, a time when animals, like children, are innocents caught up in adult-created horror. This makes animals… continue reading »
When I was young I loved this book. It was part of a series of Beginner Books created by Theodor Geisel (Dr Seuss) and his wife, Helen Palmer as replacements for boring school readers. Robert the Rose Horse is my anthropomorphic book choice for Valentine’s Day 2020. As an author I’m inspired by the brilliance… continue reading »
Why do people wear purple poppies? A: To commemorate and remember animals who served during wartime. And the animals have their own special day. In Australia the National Day for War Animals is February 24th, just over two weeks away. I first became interested in wartime mascots when I was researching Lighthouse Girl, the first… continue reading »
Across Australia this week children have started or are starting a new school year. For some that might be daunting. Who better to help manage their anxiety than a friendly or familiar animal character? Many young readers will know Fiona the tidy pig, created by Australian Children’s Laureate, Leigh Hobbs. Fiona the Pig’s Big Day… continue reading »
Children’s literature is rich in mouse characters; Despereaux, Angelina Ballerina, Anatole, Stuart Little, Reepicheep, Aesop’s Town and Country Mice, The Lion and the Mouse and Disney’s ever-cheerful Mickey. Literary rats are rarer creatures. Whilst mouse characters are often portrayed as brave, courageous and determined, their rodent cousins are more likely to be the bad guys…. continue reading »
Fabish is a picture book about courage and hope. It’s a heartwarming story set during the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires and may help readers find resilience in these current dark days. Fabish is a retired racehorse who watches over the yearlings. One scorching hot day, a bushfire threatens the property. Flames creep closer. In desperation… continue reading »
Dianne is the award-winning author of 19 books for children and teenagers.
Her PhD research into the Crafting of Animal Characters in Australian Children’s Literature resulted in two novels, Dog with Seven Names and Shark Caller. The latter, a cross-cultural quest novel, was a CBCA Notable and shortlisted for WAYRBA. The former, also a CBCA Notable, won the Speech pathology awards, was shortlisted for the NSW Premier’s Awards and will be published in China.
