This
easy to read chapter book is a great way to learn about Anzac Day. Interspersed
with colourful character illustrations and real-life black and white pictures,
the reader will learn about the hardship and mateship of war.
Keeping
the story simple and entertaining for the reader is the inclusion of Pip the
wallaby, who Jack has raised since she was a joey. Pip tags along with Jack and
Carl as a good luck charm. But Pip isn’t the only animal to accompany the new
recruits, there is also a Kangaroo called Captain who goes on their adventures
and creates mayhem.
All
through the rigorous training the animals keep the new recruits laughing.
Boarding a ship to Western Australia Jack and Carl learn they are about to join
a convoy and leave Australia for the frontline. As excited as Jack is, he soon
finds the boat crowded with troops, hot and stuffy, so he sneaks off to sleep
in a rescue boat with Pip. Whenever Jack is, Pip is never far away, and he soon
earns the nickname Wallaby Jack.
Arriving
in Cairo, Egypt Jack and Carl along with their mates Johnno and Chip relax
before they receive further orders. They explore Cairo and make friends with
Habib, a cameleer who supplies camels for the War. Upon receiving their orders,
excitement ripples through the camp, they now know they are to fight the Turks
and land in what we now call Anzac Cove.
As
young men, Jack and Carl are lucky to survive the landing, when so many of
their friends do not. Their only option to protect themselves and their mates
is to start digging a trench. The fighting goes on for months, with both Jack
and Carl thinking if they have Pip, their lucky charm, they are safe. That is
until the Turks steal her . . .
This
book by Lisa Thompson is part of the Sparklers series that features stories based
on Australian history.
At the end of the story, there are Anzac facts including
a timeline of events, a glossary and comprehension questions. The story will
capture the reader, whilst you are learning about one of history’s greatest
battles in World War One and explains the Anzac legend.
Title: Wallaby Jack
Author: Lisa Thompson
Illustrator: Nahum Ziersch
Publisher: Blake Education, $10.95
Publication Date: 2017
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781760201111
For ages: 6 - 9
Type: Junior Fiction
