From Publishers Weekly
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Lester ( Imagine ; Isabella's Bed ) opens the barn door, as
it were, upon her recollections of life on the Australian farm
where she grew up. Family members are introduced up front; the
reader then follows the various characters through the ups and
downs of one year. As narrator, Lester also lets readers in on
some more personal matters--such as her longing for a new pony or
her attempts to become famous. Summer days, she reports, were
filled with driving "mobs" of cattle, picking blackberries and,
perhaps, taking a swim. Australian autumn brought new calves,
rainstorms and mushrooms; after a winter spent doing chores,
springtime marked the season for "tadpoling and fishing
expeditions" as well as baling hay. Children will likely be
fascinated by the different seasons Down Under. Lester's fond
remembrances contain dollops of humor and tenderness, and a
wealth of information about farm life can be inferred. Through it
all, the author/artist's childlike sensibilities keep the pace
lively. Her somewhat pale watercolor palette accommodates each of
the seasons, offering a pleasant glimpse at a foreign landscape.
And her friendly cast of kind-faced figures is truly likable.
Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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From School Library Journal
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Grade 1-3-American readers will be introduced to a
"jinker," a "bush run," and "mobs of cattle" in this gentle
memoir. Spanning one year of her childhood on an Australian farm
overlooking the sea, Lester's narrative begins and ends near
Christmas time in the summer-perhaps a puzzling combination for
northern hemisphere children. The scant story line-a child longs
for a horse to replace deceased Inky-weaves in and out of the
scenes of the everyday life of this family of four children. Such
events as the Quietest Pony Contest, the dog high jump, a
difficult calf birthing, and cattle drives are engagingly
described. Illustrations are plentiful and intricate; varying
sized panels (often three per page) create a design that adds
great visual interest. The straightforward family portrait that
stretches across the top of the first page is particularly
charming, introducing each member astride a horse or motorbike.
The author's writing and illustrating style is delicate. Her
watercolors, neatly lined with ink; the highly stylized figures
and faces; and the abundant detailing all contribute to this
lovely picture book.
Lee Bock, Brown County Public Libraries, Green Bay, WI
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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From Booklist ( /gp/feature.html/?docId=1000027801 )
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Ages 5-8. Lester, who grew up on an Australian farm,
recalls what life was like when we worked on the land together
the year her pony died. Soft, pastel watercolors picture the
seasons changing as Mum, Dad, Charlie, Kate, Jake, and me care
for the cattle through cycles of birth and death and as the
children ride their ponies like cowboys, splash in the creek, and
play all sorts of wonderful games. The highlight of the year for
me is the Christmas gift found waiting in the orcharda palomino
pony. Colored borders encircle attractive double-page spreads
composed of variously sized pictures that whimsically and
lovingly illustrate the words. Radiant with childhood delight,
the book lovingly depicts intriguing particulars of everyday life
in a faraway place, a place that seems both familiar and strange.
Notes about terminology (for example, chooks, mob) and an
explanation of Australia's seasonal differences are appended.
Stephanie Zvirin
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From Kirkus Reviews
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A year in the life of an Australian farm, told by one of
the kids (probably the young Lester, as a note at the end of the
book suggests) in a gentle, understated tone. Readers are taken
through the seasonal chores, from calving to roundup. It is a
particular knack of Lester's (Isabella's Bed, 1993) to insinuate
lots of faithful, suggestive touches into the story: autumn
leaves sent spinning behind the running horses, brushfires
casting an eerie yellow light, an orphaned calf dressed in the
jacket of a dead calf so as to be adopted by the mother, a
perfect fairy ring of autumn mushrooms. The cadence of the text
is warm and comforting, with enough breaks and shifts of
direction to keep it from becoming treacly. One nice twist is the
minor confusion that results from the flip-flopping of austral
seasons: It's fun to get caught out when you excl, ``That
can't be!,'' and then remember where you are. Lester's
illustrations are full of detail and care, instinctively right
with either a sheep slaughter or a Christmas morning. (Picture
book. 4-8) -- Copyright ©1994, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights
reserved.
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Review
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"A lively Austra-lian recollection that manages to steer
clear of nostalgia . . . in favor of remembered mini-stories that
will set newer folks yearning for some agricultural action of
their own." -- Review
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About the Author
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Australian author Alison Lester is perhaps best known for her
picture books. However, she captivated her audience with her
first novel, The Quicksand Pony. In a starred review School
Library Journal called it a gripping adventure story, a tale of
survival, an engaging mystery, a touching animal story, and a
family saga.
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