Dianne Wolfer – April 21 2019

ANZAC DAY – April 25

Annual commemoration of Australians and New Zealanders who have served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations – held on the anniversary of the landing at Gallipoli on April 25 1915.

Photo: Helen Clark

Dianne is an award-winning author of many books for teenagers and young readers spanning multiple genres. Her first picture book, Photographs in the Mud, was inspired by a research trip along the Kokoda Track and is used as a reference for international workshops on peace and a recommended resource for the national History curriculum. Dianne has been the Western Australian Adviser for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). Her other books include Granny Grommet and Me, inspired by surfing grandmas; Choices, a YA novel about teenage pregnancy; The Shark Caller, sparked by the ancient practice of calling sharks, written as part of her PhD into anthropomorphism and optioned for film; and In the Lamplight, about suffragette and WWI nurse Rose, the third title in her ‘Light’ series following Lighthouse Girl (which inspired Black Swan Theatre’s The Lighthouse Girl) and Light Horse Boy.

Light Horse Boy – Illustrated by Brian Simmonds
Fremantle Press, 2013; ISBN 9781922089137
9-14 years
In 1914 Jim and Charlie abandon the Australian outback for the excitement and adventure of the war to end all wars. But in the Light Horse they quickly discover the brutal realities of life on the frontline. And nothing will ever be the same again. Featuring stunning charcoal sketches by Brian Simmonds alongside primary source documents and historical photos, Light Horse Boy goes behind the scenes of the great ANZAC legends for an intimate look at their experience of World War One.
‘This is a fine book that will add much to our understanding of the Australian spirit as it engages in war. Should be compulsory reading for all upper grade students.’ – Reading Time

The Lighthouse Girl – Illustrated by Brian Simmonds
Fremantle Press, 2009; ISBN 9781921696572
Fay lives alone with her father on bleak, windswept Breaksea Island, but her isolated life takes a dramatic turn with the outbreak of World War One. Based on the true story of Fay Howe, daughter of the Albany lighthouse keeper, who relayed messages for the departing ANZAC troops in 1914, this gentle tale brings to life the hardships of those left at home during the war – waiting, wondering, hoping. Drawing on fascinating archival material, and interweaving fact with fiction, award-winning author Dianne Wolfer deftly recreates this period in Australian history from the perspective of a young girl.
‘Full of evocative illustrations, sepia photographs and news clippings, Wolfer’s book transports. A great one for early and older readers alike.’ – The Sunday Age