1. AUSTRALIAN CHILDREN’S LITERATURE - EDU21ACL Week1 Lecture 2 Introduction to Concepts - What is Australian? © La Trobe University, David Beagley 2006

2. References Johnston, RS (2004) Australia. International companion encyclopedia of children's literature. 2nd ed. edited by Peter Hunt. London: Routledge. vol. 2, p. 960-983 Foster, J, Finnis, E and Nimon, M (1995) Australian Children’s Literature: an exploration of genre and theme. Riverina: CIS particularly - Chapter 4 - The Outback I: in praise of the bush Chapter 5 - The Outback II: in fear of the bush

3. What is Australian Children’s Literature? Is it … written IN Australia set IN Australia written BY an Australian aimed AT an Australian audience refer TO Australia written ABOUT Australia REQUIRE Australia as a key aspect REFLECT Australian society and values

4. What is Australian Children’s Literature? Is it … written IN Australia set IN Australia Identification of PLACE Is there something about the physical land of Australia that creates a distinct identity?

5. What is Australian Children’s Literature? Is it … written BY an Australian aimed AT an Australian audience Identification of PERSON Is there something about the character or features of Australians that creates a distinct identity?

6. What is Australian Children’s Literature? Is it … refer TO Australia written ABOUT Australia Identification of HISTORY Have things happened to, or in, Australia, that contribute to or create a distinct identity?

7. What is Australian Children’s Literature? Is it … REQUIRE Australia as a key aspect REFLECT Australian society and values Identification of CULTURE Is there something about the social constructs of Australia that creates a distinct identity?

8. What is “Australian”? Russell Ward - “The Australian Legend” (1958) Ned Kelly, Man from SR, Breaker Morant, stories of Lawson & Paterson, Anzacs, Barry McKenzie, Crocodile Dundee Key elements: Male Tough and resilient Self-contained Anti-authoritarian Bush, rural Unsophisticated

9. What is Australian? Formative aspects - things unique to Australia: Landscape - space, ecology History Migration - alienation Therefore, conscious interpretations: Social identity Cultural identifiers

10. What is Australian Children’s Literature? If these elements are identifiable in texts to be defined, are they: Inherent in the Australian identifiers or Deliberate authorial choices?

11. Australian Children’s Literature Consider the CBC Book of the Year awards http://www.latrobe.edu.au/childlit/Awards/CBCBOY.htm http://www.cbc.org.au/awards1.htm http://www.latrobe.edu.au/childlit/Awards/CBCBOY.htm http://www.cbc.org.au/awards1.htm Is there a change over time? Does this reflect a change of identity or a change of attitude? e.g. Informing, entertaining or questioning Social, ethnic and cultural groups represented Landscape and locale Development of sub-categories

12. Next week: Humour Read Just annoying and Horrendo’s curse and similar for reference and comparison - Andy Griffiths: Just … books, Bum and Bad books Anna Fienberg: Tashi books, Magnificent Nose Paul Jennings, Morris Gleitzman, Terry Denton etc.