A heartbreaking yet ultimately uplifting tale of two towns: Melbourne, Australia and Villers-Bretonneux, France, during World War One.

Henri lives in the French village of Villers-Bretonneux. Billy lives in Melbourne, Australia. These two little boys, who live thousands of miles away from each other, share one story that unites Villers-Bretonneux and Melbourne in history.
A moving and inspiring story of World War One.

Creators

Sally Murphy is a mother, wife, teacher, speaker, website manager, reviewer, and, of course, author. She was born in Perth and now lives in Corrigin, in the Wheatbelt of Western Australia. In 2001 she decided to dedicate herself to her dream of becoming a children’s author and has now published 28 books. As well as writing for children Sally is also a children’s book reviewer who runs the review site www.aussiereviews.com.
Her first illustrated verse novel with Walker Books Australia, Pearl Verses the World (illustrated by Heather Potter) won the children’s book category for the Indie Book of the Year awards, 2009; was awarded Honour Book in theYounger Readers category, Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Awards, 2010; and won the Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards, 2010, Best Book for Language Development, Upper Primary (8-12 years).Toppling (illustrated by Rhian Nest James) has won the Queensland Premier’s Literary Awards, Children’s Book - Mary Ryan’s Award, 2010; and been short-listed for the Speech Pathology Australia, Book of the Year Awards, Upper Primary category, 2010.

The child of German immigrants, Sonia first developed an appreciation of illustration through the story books sent to her by her grandmother. So at the age of four she decided to become an illustrator after she successfully drew her first duck. She went on to study Visual Communication at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. Sonya’s work has appeared in many magazines and books, including the award-winning Tensy Farlow and the Home for Mislaid Children (Penguin) written by Jen Storer. Sonia is based in Melbourne, Australia. In 2011 Sonia was a finalist in the Archibald Prize, for her portrait of author Cassandra Gold.

Reviews

Do Not Forget Australia is an important book for all Australians. It is one that should be on all school, home and public library shelves.

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