Claire Saxby is well known for her
non-fiction picture books on historical figures and Australian animals. Koala, illustrated by Julie Vivas is on the Notables list
for this year’s Eve Pownall Award – the Shortlist is released on Tuesday March
27.Claire Saxby has been writing for children for about 20 years. She has nearly fifty books in print with more in production. One of her books was read on Play School. Claire travels around Australia to research her books as much of the best information comes from libraries, family stories, newspaper archives and museum exhibitions. Claire has featured in award lists including most recently the Bangkok Book Awards.
Claire recently visited Launceston as a guest speaker at the Lunchbox
Lecture series organised by Friends of the Library Launceston and Launceston
LINC. Claire spoke about and read her two Tasmanian stories My Name is Lizzie Flynn (illustrated by
Lizzy Newcomb) and Bird to Bird
illustrated by Wayne Harris.
Claire’s research, her quest to go the extra mile to base her stories in
truth, has provided her with serendipitous discoveries that add richness to her
stories. Lizzie is based on 13-year-old
Scottish convict Rose Ford transported to Tasmania on the ship Rajah. A chance remark that some convicts would have
been very unhappy to be making a quilt for a wealthy woman while the sewers, convict
women, had nothing, led to the creation of Martha.
Hearing that convict bunking was removed from a ship, made into a weaving loom and
then into a lean-to kitchen was the impetus for Claire’s recently published
picture book Bird to Bird. This history of Australia in 170 words is
Claire at her poetic best. Claire is a
fascinating speaker, so if an opportunity arises to hear her, grab it. 
Thanks Nella as always your reports and informative and engaging. It will be interesting to see how the book goes in the Eve Pownall Award this year.
ReplyDeleteWorks from issues devoted to writing in English have won awards and been reprinted in many collections. best books on writing
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