HIT: Latin America/Australian/Civil War Fiction, Part 1

[Julie Purdy <purdyj@link75.org>]

Greetings=21

Thanks to everyone who responded to my question regarding Latin American/Au=
stralian/Civil War fiction.  For those of you who may not have seen my orig=
inal post, I was looking for middle level titles as well as some picture bo=
oks with a Latin American or Australian setting.  I was also looking for go=
od Civil War titles.  I did not receive many titles for Latin America.  Mos=
t of what I received was for Australia and the Civil War.


LATIN AMERICAN FICTION

I like GRAB HANDS AND RUN by Frances Temple.  It is about a family=20

escaping El Salvador when the father becomes a political prisoner.  They=20

flee through Mexico on the way to Canada.


AUSTRALIAN FICTION

Julie, several Australian authors come to mind.


Paul Jennings is very popular.  He has quite

a few books out (short stories) that are very

quirky.  Almost every Australian school student

gets hooked on his writing at some time in their

student career.  Probably best suited for 10-12 year

olds.  Often poor readers will click with Jennings

books.


'Round the Twist'     by Paul Jennings

'Uncovered'

'Unbelievable'

'Unreal'

'Unbearable'

'Uncovered'


He has also written 'The Cabbage Patch Fib',

'Paw Thing' and 'The Cabbaage Patch War'. =20

These are for younger readers (8-10)


Morris Gleitzman has written a series of

books (often with the same characters) that

are suitable for year 5 (10 years old and up).

They deal with a family that come out from=20

England to start a new life in Australia (they

run a fish a chip shop).  Eventually the family

breaks up and the boy has to deal with a possible

divorce.  The books are very funny.


'Misery Guts'     by Morris Gleitzman

'Puppy Fat'

'Blabber Mouth'

'Sticky Beak'

'Two Weeks with the Queen'  -for older students,

this deals with an illness of a brother.  It still

is funny.  I think it is pretty good.

Gleitzman has a new book out (I believe it is

called 'Waterwings').  I've been told it is suitable

for much older students.  Haven't read it myself.


Robin Klein has written some marvelous books.

These books are for older readers 13+

'Hating Alison Ashley'

'Careful he Might Hear You' -deals with a girl

trapped in a strange religious group

'Came back to show you I could fly' (my favourite) -

this book deals with drug abuse, very good=21


Robin Klein has also written the Penny Pollard

series.  They are for students 9-12 years.  The

books are all done in diary style with pictures

and photographs, and they are extremely funny.

Penny gets herself into all sorts of trouble and

writes her feelings into her diary.

'Penny Pollard Diary'

'Penny Pollard Passport'  and other Penny titles

I can't remember.


Victor Kelleher mainly writes fantasy for 12+ years.

'The Red King'  (I love this one)

'Taronga'  Sydney's zoo becomes a different place in

the future.

'Papio' - animal experimentation in Africa

=22Forbidden Paths of Thual'


'Playing Beatie Bow' by Ruth Park  Suitable for

13+.  This is a bit difficult, but very interesting.

A girl from Sydney is thrown into the past (when

Sydney was being colonized by the British)


Here is a list of a few really good

Australian picture books.


'John Brown, Rose and the Midnight Cat' by J. Wagner

'The Bunyip of Berkeley's Creek'  by J. Wagner

'Mr. Archimedes' Bath'  by P. Allen

'How Sank the Boat'  by P. Allen

'The Lighthouse Keeper's Lunch'  by Armitage

'Winfred Gordon McDonald Partridge' by Mem Fox

'Possum Magic'  by Mem Fox

'Koala Lou'  by Mem Fox

'Greetings from Sandy Beach'  by Graham

'Animalia'  by G. Base


Julie Purdy

Mt. Ararat Middle School

Brunswick, Maine=20

Julie_Purdy=40link75.org




SAD75