Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Reading Time
    • Home
    • Reviews
      • Highly Recommended
      • CBCA Short Listed
      • Early Childhood Books
      • Younger Readers
      • Intermediate Readers
      • Older Readers
      • ANZAC books
      • Great Read Alouds
      • Information Books
      • LGBTQIA+
      • Picture Books
      • Professional Development
    • Interviews
    • Suggestions
    • News
    • Meet The Review Team
    • Contact Us
    Reading Time
    You are at:Home»Reviews»ANZAC Books»The Beach They Called Gallipoli

    The Beach They Called Gallipoli

    1
    By Admin on March 5, 2015 ANZAC Books, Picture Books

    beach they called gallipoli

    WHATLEY, Bruce (illus.) Jackie French (text) The Beach They Called Gallipoli 2014 unpaged $24.99 ISBN 9780732292263 SCIS 1687764

    Facing the reader, from the front cover is, in the foreground, the figure of an intense, armed digger standing against a beach and a hilly background.  This is obviously ANZAC cove: as so many images have made familiar to even readers who have not been humbled by attending a memorial service at the beach (now more on the hillside itself).  It is an oft-told story; but it is worth repeating the words of a Turkish official on an occasion of remembrance, ‘We have not been glorifying war: we have been celebrating friendship between two nations.’ This book is yet another way of doing just that, by drawing in clear but dramatic prose the events of 24 April 1915 and the tragic aftermath, along with realistic pictures adorned with reminders such as the endemic poppy, but also memorabilia such as a souvenir Gallipoli Letter Card and, more startling, a multitude of images of dead bodies, barbed wire, and even a Trumpet Call poster glorifying the armed forces.  But then there are the rows of medals reminding us, ‘Lest We Forget Australia’s Heroes -Gallipoli April 5th 1915.’

    Perhaps among the plethora of Anzac reminders it is necessary to heed the words of both author and illustrator: To ‘Pa Jack’, who was there: at last we have remembered.  -JF and: ‘We dare not forget. -BW.  It is far too easy to be swept up by idealism or to be betrayed by commercialism.  This book is realistic.  It is historically accurate and supported by maps, sketches and detailed images and drawings.  Perhaps young readers need to be faced with the grim realities of what we must not forget: not only guns and bullets; but putrid conditions as here recorded: ‘Summer breathed heat on shattered hills.  Flies feasted in the corpses.  Rats fed, fat as puppies.  Men’s insides turned liquid.  Disease killed more than bullets now.’

    This is what war can truly be like: not only at Gallipoli, but in the jungles of New Guinea, and other more recent theatres of war.  The young, now more than ever, need to be reminded of the realities of war so that they will fight against propaganda and brain washing that is as insidious as it is evil.

    A Teaching Guide is available on the publisher’s website.

    reviewed by Maurice Saxby

    Gallipoli World War I

    Related Posts

    Enough Love?

    A Human for Kingsley

    Bear and Rat

    1 Comment

    1. Pingback: Review : Gallipoli | Fiction is like a box of chocolates...

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    • Themes
    • Curriculum
    Action adventure Airplanes Alphabet Anxiety autism Bullying CBCA Awards Coming of age Dystopian emotions family fantasy friendship grief Historical humour magic Mystery Post apocalyptic Readers Cup reluctant readers school Sci-Fi series of books siblings Sport Starting school Teacher Notes
    ANZAC Australian animals Australian history Biography Culture & Diversity Disabilities First Nations Geography health Humanities mental health Poetry Reconciliation resilience Science STEM Stolen Generation sustainability Wordless books



    Recent Comments
    • Cherie on Elephant Island
    • Patricia Tilton on Freddy the Not-Teddy
    • Jilanne Hoffmann on Freddy the Not-Teddy
    • Penelope Pratley on The Secret of Sapling Green
    • Emily Flint on Walk of the Whales
    Recent Posts
    • The Bravest Word
    • The Ghost Locket
    • The Ghost Locket
    • Enough Love?
    • Wonderful Shoes
    Recent Comments
    • Cherie on Elephant Island
    • Patricia Tilton on Freddy the Not-Teddy
    • Jilanne Hoffmann on Freddy the Not-Teddy
    • Penelope Pratley on The Secret of Sapling Green
    • Emily Flint on Walk of the Whales
    © Copyright 2021 The Children’s Book Council of Australia - All rights reserved

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    Posting....