Amazing Australian Women by Pamela Freeman and Sophie Beer
Lothian Children's Books, 2018. ISBN 9780734418456
(Age: 7+) Highly recommended. Themes: Women - Australia. The authors
have chosen twelve Australian women from different backgrounds and
time periods to feature in this brightly illustrated book. Some of
them will be familiar to all Australians, for example Mary Reiby,
convict and business woman who features on the $20 note, while
others like Tarenore, an indigenous resistance fighter, may not be
as well known. It is this mix of well-known and less well known
women that make this book such a fascinating read.
It is a book that can be read from cover to cover, with the women
arranged in chronological order, but it can also be perused by using
the introduction and map of Australia at the beginning, and then
skimming through the book either to find women from an Australian
state or a woman whose work is unfamiliar to the reader. I knew some
of the background of Mary Lee and Nellie Melba, but found more
snippets of information that greatly added to my knowledge. I became
engrossed in the story Tilly Aston, teacher writer and disability
activist, while the scientist Ruby Payne-Scott and her work with
radio telescopes will provide a great role model for girls who want
to succeed in the science area. The information about each woman was
succinct and interesting and the illustrations will appeal to the
book's audience.
The back of the book has a section "More information", with links to
websites including biographies and other details, e.g. Emily Kame
Kngwarreye, has links to three websites displaying her art and a
link to images of Emily from Trove.
The conclusion notes that it was hard to select just twelve women
and that there are extraordinary women doing extraordinary things in
every walk of life. And then challenges the reader to
"Ask yourself
What is my story going to be?
What will I do?
How will I change the world?"
This is a must have for every library and would be a perfect gift
for any child interested in Australian history and achievements.
Pat Pledger