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‘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!

 

 

The true story of young nurse, Sister Alice Ross-King who sailed to war in 1914 to become the most decorated woman in Australia.

 

When Alice Ross-King left Melbourne in 1914, she was one of more than 2,000 nurses who volunteered during WWI to work in hospitals, hospital ships, trains and medical posts near the battlefront to care for wounded soldiers. Alice is also the great grandmother of Kate Simpson who is the author of this inspiring and moving story.

Kate says "I am so grateful for her war diaries. Although we never met, I feel that I have come to know her through her words." 

In Anzac Girl, Kate Simpson has carefully woven extracts from Alice's war diaries and letters with her own storytelling to transport readers to the battlefields of WWI. We are with Alice when she meets her sweetheart Harry Moffitt in Cairo and they sit atop a pyramid having tea and feel her grief when she receives a sad letter about Harry. We see Alice in France tirelessly nursing rows of wounded soldiers, some of them hardly old enough to shave and we are in awe when she risks her life to protect her patients amidst 'the roar of planes and Archies' as Germans bomb her medical post. Alice King-Ross was awarded the Military Medal for her courage and devotion to duty that night on July 22nd, 1917.

Through Alice's eyes we witness the devastation and heartache of war, but we also see courage, resilience, compassion and kindness.

So much thought and care have gone into the visual details of Anzac Girl, from the embossed text on the cover (touch it!), collaged end papers, red poppies scattered throughout, diary entries and in particular Jess Rackyleft's gentle, poignant watercolour and mixed media illustrations. Jess has done an enormous amount of research to find Primary Sources to inform and create her illustrations, including photos, postcards, maps, posters and even a vintage apricot dress that all bring the story to life.The text and illustrations combine seamlessly to draw you into Alice's story and touch your heart. 

Alice Ross-King wearing her Military Medal
Marion Sander: Public Domain

Alice Ross-King would be proud of the exceptional way her story has been told. 

Happy reading!

Teacher notes


Oh my heart! This week I was lucky to see the incredible stage show of War Horse based on one of my favourite books by Michael Morpurgo.

War Horse is the story of the unbreakable bond between farm boy Albert and his horse Joey who he has raised from a foal. Albert is devastated when his father sells Joey to the cavalry at the beginning of WWI as a war horse to be ridden into battle. Keeping his promise to Joey that they would always be together, 16-year-old Albert lies about his age and bravely joins the war to find his beloved horse. It is a story of friendship, courage and loyalty that is both heartwarming and heartbreaking.

The play of War Horse brilliantly takes the story from the page to the stage. No longer bound by the pages of a book, it immerses you in the story through sound, lighting, moving images, music and song. The play transports you from Albert’s family farm in Devon, England to the chaotic battlefields of France where the explosions from the cannons are loud enough to make you jump in your seat like me! The actors, puppeteers and animal puppets take you on an emotional journey as you join Albert in his mission to find Joey.

The exquisitely handcrafted life size puppet animals are the highlight of the show. Talented puppeteers breathe life into the puppets and before long you forget they are there and simply see the animals. Three puppeteers work in a team as the head, heart and hind to bring Joey and the other horses to life. Their teamwork creates the horse’s movement and emotions. From the simple twitch of his ears through to the swish of his tail, the puppeteers show Joey’s playfulness and love for Albert as he responds to his whistle, and Joey's extraordinary courage and determination on the battlefield. Both horses, Joey and Topthorn are simply magnificent! Watch this behind the curtain video to learn how the Handspring puppeteers bring their puppets to life.

The War Horse stage show was all that I had hoped for and more and just like the book it touched my heart! It will be showing at the Regent Theatre in Melbourne until February, 8th. This play is best suited for children who are 10+ and I'm definitely giving it a 'tissue alert'.

Even if you don't see the stage show, I highly recommend you read War Horse the book.

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