Colin Thiele (1920–2006)

I've read plenty of prose by Colin Thiele, but this is the first time I have encountered any of his poetry. This is a shame because I found that I enjoy his poetry more than his prose. Most of the poems in this small book are written for older children. Thiele's storytelling is terrific, and there's plenty of good Australian humour thrown in. Thiele employs a few different poetic forms throughout, giving plenty of variety for the reader. My favourite poems are those that employ meter, which show more he has used with great skill. My only real complaint is that in a few poems he has jumbled up his rhyming scheme. I'm not sure if he was doing this for effect, or if he was sacrificing rhyme for his story. Either way, doing so spoilt the flow and effect of these poems. show less

Beautifully written. I'll have nightmares inspired by The Water Trolley, the novella. Storm Boy is short and almost saccharine, but has a good environmental message that was probably desperately needed at the time (and probably is still needed somewhat). The other stories include humor, horror, and a wonderful sense of place & time that illuminates them and makes them especially appealing, I'm sure, to the original readers.

Now, of course, they're easier to read as a sort of historical show more fiction... and yet, they're not actually that dated, imo. I do recommend if you're interested, or if you have a challenge to read a classic from Australia. Oh, and don't let the 'children's lit' label deter you... these are for all ages, and likely even better for adults who can appreciate the details & nuances. show less

One of those books I've always meant to read but haven't until now. This piece of Classic Australian Children's Fiction can easily be enjoyed by everyone. Storm Boy is a boy growing up with his father in a beach shack down among the dunes of an isolated coastline. Both enjoy their solitary life and have little outside contact until three orphaned pelicans come into their lives. This is a book you can read in a day and shows us how special connections can be made with any living creature.

This is a great little book from a bygone era of rural life in Australia. It's episodic format, adventure and humour would make it a fun read-aloud for 7-11 year olds. Reading it aloud would also give an opportunity to answer questions some young readers may have regarding the very different life the main character experienced.