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

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.

Poor Martin has a rough time in this book. When his dad is seriously injured in a farming accident, 13 year old Martin does his best to step into his dad’s shoes and look after the farm. But with a poor crop and other challenges the situation looks dire.
This book is fairly typical of Thiele’s children’s novels - a young protagonist in the Aussie bush battling against adversity and overcoming the odds. However this book had an added element of faith in God, which I haven’t seen in show more Thiele’s other books.
Apparently it’s still in print, although it might be hard to find. show less