This award-winning history book is highly recommended as an excellent resource for primary school children.
It is a remarkable book because although first published more than half-a-century ago, it is still relevant. It is, moreover, as accessible to children today as it was then. This publication is a facsimile of the 1952 edition. It has not been updated nor has it been altered to fall into line with present day sensibilities. It therefore provides important snapshots of the values and attitudes of the time it was written. The author herself acknowledged that over time perspectives would change. Importantly, then, the book provides students with ample opportunity to reflect on the past.
Even by today’s standards the book is unique. It provides a complete history of Australia for primary school children and was written as a single narrative—there are no chapters. It begins with Aborigines and continues chronologically covering all the major events and nation-building developments up to the immediate postWWII period.
The illustrations add colour and life to the narrative.
The Australia Book is a proud and positive history that makes it a wonderful introduction to Australian history for children. The book, furthermore, is a powerful reminder that history is not static—that, in the words of the author … ‘the story goes on…[and] moves and grows with the years.’