One such delightful inspiration is a nine-year-old called Lennie Gwyther.
Set at the height of the Great Depression, this story follows the journey of a young lad destined for adventure. After a horrid accident on the family farm, young Lennie is forced to take on more demanding roles (as was the lot of many children of his time). Using his pony, Ginger Mick, the lad takes on the family’s ploughing, and so saves the farm’s planting season.
As a reward, Lennie’s parents allow the young boy to ride
all the way (yes, yes, on his own!) from their rural Victorian farm at Leongatha
to Sydney, to witness the opening of the magnificent Sydney Harbour Bridge—a journey
of 1,000 kilometres, via many and varied towns including Traralgon, Sale, Lakes
Entrance, Cooma, Canberra, Moss Vale, Liverpool.
Along the way, this remarkable child meets with a lifetime
of extraordinary experiences from a near-horse-napping to a bushfire encounter
to meeting Prime Minister Joseph Lyons at Parliament House … and even appearing
on a newsreel—something quite amazing for 1932.
Stephanie Owen Reeder has captured the voice and precociousness
of this delightful boy in her thorough and meticulously-researched retelling of
an adventure that captured a nation, during an immensely difficult time in
Australian history. The author even spent time with Lennie’s sister, Beryl
Ferrier, whose advice and insights on her brother and life in the 1930s, is
woven infallibly into the book, providing goosebumping authenticity.
As is the way with National Library books, Lennie the Legend
is beautifully produced, designed and laid out, using a stunning display of
Collection images—paintings, photographs, maps—and the most precious images of
Lennie and his family.
Along the way, peppered through the engaging narrative,
readers can enjoy pockets of further information on such themes as the Great War,
farming life in 1930s Australia, and The Great Depression. Photographs of the
Sydney Harbour Bridge in the process of being built will enchant children, as
will this eye-widening peek at a time long past, and an event that won’t fail
to astonish even the most jaded youngsters (and adults, too).
At the back of the book, parents, teachers and librarians
will appreciate a glossary, background reading and an index.
Title: Lennie the Legend
Author: Stephanie Owen Reeder
Publisher: National Library Publishing, $24.99 RRP
Publication Date: 1 February 2015
Format: Hard cover with dust jacket
ISBN: 9780642278654
For ages: 7+
Type: Picture Book, History
