Skip to content

Tag: Diversity

Published on Leave a comment on The Unstoppable Flying Flanagan by Felice Arena

 

‘You are a stubborn, and extremely annoying young lady, but I really do believe that once you put your mind to something you are unstoppable.’

It’s 1942 in Melbourne. Life is changing. Men have gone to fight overseas; women have stepped into men’s jobs and twelve year old Maggie Flanagan dreams of playing football. But that’s against the rules.

When Maggie’s school is chosen to run a fundraising event for the troops, Maggie doesn’t want to bake or sew with the other girls and only boys can participate in the billycart derby. Why do boys have all the fun? Maggie is teased when she suggests an all-girl charity football match, but she's not going to give up.

“Could you even imagine? Sheilas playing footy!”

Surely she can’t be the only girl in Melbourne who secretly wishes they could play football. On her quest to find players, Maggie discovers school nurse Nancy, Marian the milk woman, Ivy who drives the ice truck, Miss Kelly and others who share her football dream. Word spreads, support comes from unexpected people and Maggie’s prayers to Mary are answered with enough players to field two teams, the Mighty Mis-fits and the Fighting Belles. But will people want to pay to watch two all-girl teams play footy?

The Unstoppable Flying Flanagan celebrates football, friendship and being yourself. It is a story heartwarmingly woven together with characters finding the courage to follow their own paths and supporting each other along the way. Maggie and Gerald’s friendship is a delight and as you eagerly turn the pages you will find yourself cheering on an unexpected winner at the billycart derby, watching The Wizard of Oz at the Astor while munching on a threepence bag of lollies, tapping your feet to the jitterbug at the Capitol Theatre, and barracking for the Mighty Mis-fits and Fighting Belles at Elsternwick Park.

Read the beginning of The Unstoppable Flying Flanagan  here

Felice Arena has written another inspiring historical fiction story filled with heart and humour, engaging characters and a level of detail that brings the story to life and immerses us in Melbourne, 1942.

Maggie would love that women now play football in the AFLW.

A-women.

Happy reading!

 

 

Published on Leave a comment on The Power of Positive Pranking by Nat Amoore

 

Green Peas is our name
and pranking's our game!

Casey Wu and her best friends are the secret Green Peas group. Like some of you, they feel that no one listens when you're a kid, even when you have something really important to say. Casey, Cookie and Zeke care about how we treat our planet and combine their skills to be heard. When they discover greedy Mayor Lupphol's plans for their town of Watterson and especially Brennan Park, they are going to show the mayor that no activist is too small and no prank is too big.

My favourite Green Peas' prank was for Mayor Lupphol's visit to Watterson Primary school. It was pure genius!

Nat Amoore is an author full of energy and creativity who writes books with humour and lots of heart. She empowers kids through her characters in Secrets of a Schoolyard Millionaire and The Power of Positive Pranking and makes reading fun.

Nat had a great idea to promote The Power of Positive Pranking using Auslan. Read Nat's 'Did You Know' at the end of her book to find out why Auslan is important to her. Do you know any Auslan? 

An exciting moment for authors is when they receive copies of their book from the publisher. It must be an amazing feeling to finally hold a copy of your book in your hands and see your hard work and dream come true. Sometimes authors do an 'unboxing' to reveal their new book. Nat took unboxing to a whole new level with a stop motion Lego video! (Watch it a few times to see all the little stories happening in the bigger story.) Have you made any stop motion movies? They take a lot of patience!

Have a taste of The Power of Positive Pranking by watching some of our Aussie children's authors read the first chapter and a half.

Follow the Green Peas Manifesto in the chapter headings and you too can find your voice and be on your way to making a positive difference for something you care about...

Happy reading!

2

Published on 2 Comments on Meet Taj at the Lighthouse by Maxine Beneba Clarke

The Aussie Kids series takes you on adventures with kids from a variety of backgrounds to the unique places they live in Australia. They include Eve who lives at a roadhouse in outback Australia, Zoe and Zac live at a zoo in New South Wales and Taj lives next to a lighthouse in Victoria.

8 characters, 8 stories, 8 authors and illustrators from all 8 states and territories!

Meet Taj at the Lighthouse

Taj's family has travelled a long way to Australia from their sun-hot village, by the big blue sea in search of a safe home. It's not easy settling into life in a new country. Taj misses his old home, his favourite food and playing with his cousins. He wonders if he will ever fit in as he tries to learn English and make friends. Not even wearing his lucky lightning t-shirt helps, but his mum reminds him to 'believe' and encourages Taj to keep trying.

When Taj’s dad finds a job as a lighthouse guide, the family moves to a town along the Great Ocean Road in Victoria. At his new school Taj makes lots of new friends, he joins the surf lifesaving club and everyone calls him Taj Lightning. These days Taj's family has settled into their little Aussie town that now feels like home.

At the end of the book find out more about lighthouses and Maxine Beneba Clarke and Niki Greenberg who created Taj’s story.

There is a fun Aussie Kids activity pack to download HERE

Photo: Kim Yeomans

Last year I visited the Split Point Lighthouse at Airey’s Inlet. The lighthouse was built in 1891. It is 34 metres tall, with the most amazing views! It still operates at night with an automated system to guide the ships in the Southern Ocean. Take a tour of the lighthouse while you're there! 

Have you visited a place in Australia where you would like to live?

Happy reading!

Skip to toolbar