Fast BooksPreviews - Children's Books


Matilda and the Swagman

Author: June Wills
ISBN: 0 646 28777 X
Publisher: June Wills
Address: 2 Melrose Street, Lane Cove, NSW, 2066

"You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me" - we've heard the line often enough, but who is Matilda?


If you don't know, then this charming and poignant little story will provide the answer. And in doing so it introduces a possibly surprising multicultural slant to this most Australian of theme songs while maintaining the swagman as a national icon, tramping the dusty backroads and sleeping under the Southern Cross.

Tubby's Magic Sock

Author: Bruce W Cooke
ISBN: 0 646 25803 6
Publisher: Bruce W. Cooke
Address: C/- 16 Darghan Street, Glebe, NSW, 2037

Tubby, the hopeless, the worst footballer, the worst cricketer, the worst basketball player, the butt of all schoolboy jokes, has his world turned around when Grandpa gives him a magic pair of socks.


After a shocking football season followed by a worse cricket season, Tubby is at his lowest ebb disgracing himself with fumble fingers on the basketball court watched by his Grandpa, a legendary player.

He only has one friend, Allan, the generous-spirited, good all- rounder and the salvation of school sporting events. There is his dog, Brandy. But Brandy is an unreliable ally - his favourite occupation being generalised destruction of anything he can get between his teeth.

Realising he could do with some help, Grandpa promises "I'll give you a secret that will guarantee your success, but you must promise you'll never, never tell anybody this secret." And so Tubby becomes the proud owner of the magic socks that revolutionises his life. Demonstrating the power of the socks, Grandpa shows him how the socks need help with some tips on the game.

From the all-round loser he becomes the all-round winner.

Tragedy first strikes when Brandy shreds the socks but Mum is prevailed upon into a repair job. Worse is to come when Tubby lets slip his secret to horrible Kevin who has made and continues to make his life miserable.

Without his socks Tubby cannot perform and Grandpa again comes to the rescue with Mum as an ally.

By the grand final, Tubby has learned the real secret of the socks - that the magic is within yourself and you only have to believe.

This touching tale of the finding and giving of self-esteem follows the classic traditions of children's story-telling and Tubby is not only able to get on with his own life with confidence but has gained an understanding of those who seek to bully and torment.



Mr Greebob's Fairy Tales: Book One

Author: Johanna Browne
ISBN: 0 646 25497 9
Publisher: Johanna Browne
Address: 22 Bowering Hill Road, Port Willunga, SA, 5173

A mother of three, Johanna Browne enjoys inventing new fairy stories.


As with all fairy stories the general outlines are familiar. In this collection, written with very young children in mind, the stories are primarily, although not exclusively, set within an Australian landscape. They include the adventures of creatures such as Spike, the curious echida, Speedy, the red kangaroo who gives Spike a ride on his tail when the need for speed dictates and E.W. a resourceful wombat who is clever at making nearly everything.

In "The Spectacular Night", the ballerina is a mute swan, the Spanish Dancer, a red-tailed cockatoo and the tap trio, three fairy penguins.



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