Australian story: an illustrated timeline by Tania McCartney
National Library of Australia, 2011. ISBN 9780642277459. Available
from National
Library Bookstore.
(All ages) Highly recommended. A visual feast, Australian story
is just what its title claims: an illustrated timeline of events
that have been significant in Australia's history. Starting from a
time when there was nothing and continuing from when earth is
created, the book travels through to 2010, where it leaves the
reader gazing at a blue sky page and being asked, 'Where will we go
next?'
Aimed mainly at primary school students the bite size snippets of
information and accompanying illustration will entice children into
finding out more about particular events, or discussing events that
happened during their parents' and grandparents' lives. However,
older students studying a particular decade in history will find
that the timeline will give them succinct information about major
events that happened in Australia during that time and which are
accompanied by photographs and illustrations. An example of this is
the 1960-1969 decade, where both social, historical and scientific
events are highlighted, some of which include: 1962: All indigenous
Australians are given the right to vote; 1964: The Beatles tour
Australia; 1965-1973: Australian soldiers fight in the Vietnam War;
1966: some 200 Indigenous people protest against poor working
conditions in the Gurindji Walk Off; 1966: TV news reports are
received via satellite; 1967: Prime Minister Harold Holt disappears
during a morning swim.
This book will be a rewarding read for people
who are seriously interested in well researched, past events or
those who just like flicking through looking at intriguing fragments
of our history. For example when opening up a random page I found
out that Vegemite was first produced in Australia in 1923. As an
adult, I found it fascinating to look through the decades during the time that I
have been alive and find events that I could remember and others
that had passed me by.
Tania McCartney's text is concise and very interesting to read. The
accompanying pictures and captions are also fascinating and provide
a wealth of information. There is a Captions section at the back of
the book, which provides information about the source of the
pictures, photos etc and could be used as a lesson in the use of
primary sources. The production team has done a wonderful job in the
arrangement of this book.
The book will also prove invaluable for teachers when introducing
topics in the Australian national curriculum. Tania has provided
teaching notes for Key
Stage 1 and Key stage
2 during her blog tour. Scroll down the pages for these.
Australian Story is a must for all libraries and a great
addition for a family to peruse.
Pat Pledger