a happy, celebratory book, quintessentially Australian
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I grew up singing the song that provides the words for this book—if you’re Australian you probably did too.
My cousin Lauren would sit in a rocking chair on the verandah of her home on a cattle property in Central Queensland and look out over the paddock singing it. She was 3 at the time and she'd always finish with ‘…and an oooold rocking’ That was it. She'd skip ‘chair’ at the end, maybe she thought it was redundant. It drove her mother to distraction!
There are a range of wonderful messages here; home is best, feel free to wander because home will be here, simple is best—and more.
But I think this is mostly just a happy book—it’s celebratory. The illustrations are great fun, with Australian fauna spilling out over every page. There's lots of detail and quirky little additions, like a teapot with three spouts, so good for searching the pictures carefully.
At the end of the day though, it's a superb sing-along—perfect for happy afternoons!
Do click on the video - it was made at the fabulous Australia Zoo (we all miss Steve Irwin!)
" ... When I listen to these songs it all comes back to me. The 5,000 strong Crocodile Hunter fans who lined up for hours to be there, for Steve. The tears flowed like a river all round. Even the policemen were wiping their eyes. 'Home Among the Gum Trees' was a welcome relief for all of us. Just a moment to celebrate Australia ..." - John Williamson
If you can manage to keep going, you can click to hear John Williamson singing True Blue on the same occasion - you'll need tissues.
GIVE ME A HOME AMONG THE GUM TREES
by Bob Brown and Wally Johnson, illustrated by Ben Wood - Omnibus Books, 2011
great for all ages, baby to grown-up / Australia, funny, s.o.s.e.
