In this lyrical celebration of place, the children of Mornington Island explore their home in words and pictures. This is a collaboration with much-loved children's picture-book creators authors Alison Lester and Elizabeth Honey.
Children of Gununa (Author)
Our Island was created by the children of Gununa (Mornington
Island) with Alison Lester and Elizabeth Honey. The children who
contributed to the book include- Roy Amini, Lydia Claxton-Amini,
Carmelita Binjari, Brett Evans, Lenford Gabori, Letisha Gabori,
Luckeisha Gabori, Saiyuri Govender, Serena Govender, Kenneth Jacob,
Jasmine Jingles, Elijah Joe, Kathleen Juhel, Daniel Kohler, Jaylo
Linden, Reed Linden, Saige Reid, Graham Roughsey, Cheraine Sewter,
Miranda Thomas, Miguel Thompson, Sheyenne Thompson, Tianna
Thompson, Landon Wall and Amber Wilson.
Elizabeth Honey and Alison Lester on the making of Our Island-
In 2006 we were invited to Mornington Island State School to make a
picture book with the kids. We worked in the library with a group
of twenty students. A short poetic text by Jasmine Jingles provided
the inspiration, then we all searched for exactly the right words
to describe the island. An ever-changing cast of illustrators drew
with crayons, and washed over their drawings with food dyes. This
wax-resist process made the drawings rich, the colours of the lines
contrasting with the colours of the background. Some kids completed
their own illustration; sometimes several children worked on the
same picture. We hopped around art directing, whipping away
pictures before they were overdone, and our young artists came and
went as they were called out for tutoring, sport or other things.
One copy of the book was printed out and we read it at assembly,
minutes before catching the plane home.
In 2013 we returned to the school and there were the original
illustrations beautifully framed, hanging in the office corridors
out of the tropical sun. We met the new staff and kids, and worked
with them on the words and the pictures - some old, some new - that
became this version of the book.
Alison Lester (Author)
Alison Lester is one of Australia's most popular and bestselling
creators of children's books. Her picture books mix imaginary
worlds with everyday life, encouraging children to believe in
themselves and celebrate the differences that make them
special.
In a career spanning decades, Alison Lester has written many books,
and won numerous prestigious awards, including the Children's Book
Council of Australia (CBCA) Picture Book of the Year Award for her
much-loved classic Are We There Yet? and the CBCA Eve Pownall Book
of the Year Award for One Small Island. Her much-loved picture
books include Kissed by the Moon, Running with the Horses, Sophie
Scott Goes South and My Dog Bigsy - to name just a few. Alison
Lester became Australia's first Children's Book Laureate in 2012, a
position shared with Boori Monty Pryor. In 2016, Alison was awarded
the Dromkeen Medal for her outstanding achievement in the creation
of Australian children's and young adult literature.
Alison lives on a farm in the Victorian countryside. She spends
part of each year travelling to schools around Australia, helping
students and teachers develop their own stories.
Elizabeth Honey (Author)
Elizabeth Honey is an award-winning author of poetry, picture books
and novels. Her playful humour, originality and energy strike a
chord with children everywhere. Elizabeth is also an artist and she
illustrates her own books. Her picture books include Ten Blue
Wrens, Not a Nibble!, I'm Still Awake, Still! and That's not a
Daffodil! Elizabeth's books are published in many countries around
the world.
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