WINNER of the 2019 Australian Speech Pathology Book of the Year Awards – Indigenous Children Category.
A powerful and moving story about true mateship.
A window to the past and a glance at the future.
Dreaming Soldiers weaves tales of childhood adventures and battlefield challenges with gentle Dreaming themes.
This is a touching friendship story about Jimmy and Johnno, two young Australian boys in the 1900s; mates who do everything together, sharing adventures and growing up side by side in the dusty cattle yards of an Outback South Australian station and later on the dusty WWI battlefields of the Middle East.
The simple storytelling combines with stunning images to honour the service of Australian veterans and highlight the important contribution of First Nations soldiers.
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Its power lies in that spotlight on the friendship, the shared adventures and stories, the fears and hopes that are common regardless of skin colour.’ – Barbara Braxton
“A powerful (and overdue) look at the war. Shane McGrath’s work is stunning, a perfect foil for Catherine Bauer’s compelling story.” – A. Paterson
“This simply written story sensitively provides a historical perspective of the racism and discrimination endured by Indigenous people and returning soldiers.” – ReadPlus
“I loved everything about this book. Shane McGrath has done a magnificent job translating the text and giving it another dimension by magnifying the most important scenes. The use of khaki throughout the book was a brilliant choice. This is one not to be missed!” – Kids Book Review
Anzac Day Activities click here
Sue Warren – Just So Stories –
For a lot of Australians (and arguably many of them older) this superb picture book reveals a history that was long-hidden. And, in some quarters, it is a history still ignored. But what a beautiful way to bring it to young readers, so we can raise a generation with more understanding, tolerance, empathy and respect, so that all Australians can walk together as equals.
It’s a story that would have been fact all over this country. Two boys grow up together in the outback. They play together, fish together, swim together, ride and muster together. They sit on a verandah and munch one mum’s biscuits, they sit around the campfire and listen to one uncle’s yarning and dreamtime stories. So it’s only natural really, that when push comes to shove, they both join up at the same time, and off they go on the ‘great adventure’ that so many fellas did – some for the thrill of overseas, some itching for the scrap, some for patriotic loyalty, some for regular pay, and for many First Nations enlistees, because they hoped that while they would be equals in conflict, they would also return home as equals.
The Australian concept of mateship is an iconic one, that has resonated throughout our history and there have been countless instances of First Nations and non-Indigenous mates (as well, of course, marriages and families). It’s always a point of amazement to me that so many of these mates, their close friendships and their absolute ‘colour blindness’ can be a point of anathema for others, even to this very day.
We certainly still have ‘notable’ people to be so, e.g. the buffoon touting himself as a potential leader, who has the lowest regard for our First Nations peoples (demonstrated repeatedly over his career) and would never consider being mates with anyone not of his colour and ‘social’ standing – just consider his hobnobbing with the super-rich klingons.
Many of us in education have seen for ourselves that children and young people are very much more oblivious to differences in colour/race/size/hair/whatever. I once had a small child refer to another as the boy who was his friend ‘that boy over there with the green jumper’. It was the green jumper that stood out for that little guy, not the fact that his friend was the only Aboriginal child in the class.
But somehow, so many people grow up bigoted and wanna-be-prime-ministers [ok, couldn’t resist that one, and I doubt that person ever had a shred of decency] are included. Catherine Bauer has encapsulated this whole dismal history, that was hidden for so long, but also brought to life the pure friendships that so many of the original diggers not only had in the battlefields but forever after as well. And, honestly, Shane McGrath’s illustrations – just wow! How wonderfully has he captured the essence of these two friends, while also providing young ones with a good insight into the privations and peril of the field of combat.
Now we can pass this knowledge on to our kiddos and have open and rich discussions with them about the inequity and gap that still remains, as well as demonstrating our respect for ALL those who went to war for our great nation.
It is without doubt, one of the best ‘war’ picture books I’ve seen and totally deserves the accolades it has received since its first publication. This updated edition has extra back matter, with discussion questions as well as a succinct summary of the Blak Diggers (and see teaching notes at the end of this post). Without hesitation it’s a 5 🤎 🤍🤎🤍🤎 rating from me.
Sue Warren – Just So Stories –
It is without doubt, one of the best ‘war’ picture books I’ve seen and totally deserves the accolades it has received since its first publication. This updated edition has extra back matter, with discussion questions as well as a succinct summary of the Blak Diggers (and see teaching notes at the end of this post). Without hesitation it’s a 5 🤎 🤍🤎🤍🤎 rating from me.
Reveiw –
Catherine Bauer has encapsulated this whole dismal history, that was hidden for so long, but also brought to life the pure friendships that so many of the original diggers not only had in the battlefields but forever after as well.
Review –
She clearly has real skill in weaving history, some of it confronting, into a narrative style that will fully engage and enthrall your young readers.
Allison Paterson – Author –
Congratulations, a powerful (and overdue) look at the war. Shane McGrath’s work is stunning, I could gaze for hours at his animals and their movement.
Buzz Words –
A powerful and moving story about true mateship … Dreaming Soldiers poignantly weaves tales of childhood adventures and battlefield challenges with gentle Dreaming themes. This is a touching friendship story about Jimmy and Johnno, two young Australian boys in the 1900s; mates who do everything together, sharing adventures and growing up side by side in the dusty cattle yards of an Outback South Australian station and later the dusty WWI battlefields of the Middle East.
May Buzz Words –
A simple story-telling combines with stunning images to honour the service and contribution of Australian veterans, and Aboriginal soldiers.
Kathryn Beilby – ReadPlus –
Highly recommended. Themes: World War 1, ANZAC Day, Indigenous soldiers, War Veterans, Dreaming, Friendship, Australian History, Outback South Australia.
Kathryn Beilby – ReadPlus –
This is an excellent story to share with students about the meaning of ANZAC Day and the theme of mateship. The illustrations support the text beautifully. This simply written story sensitively provides an historical perspective of the racism and discrimination endured by Indigenous people and returning soldiers. It would be a wonderful starting point for a discussion with older primary-aged students looking at Indigenous History in Australia.
Indigenous soldiers returning home from the horrors of World War I were plunged headlong into another long-running battle
Diane Bates – Buzz Words –
The book weaves tales of childhood adventures and battlefield challenges with gentle Dreaming themes. It is a touching friendship story about Jimmy and Johnno, two young Australian boys in the 1900s; mates who do everything together, sharing adventures and growing up side by side in the dusty cattle yards of an Outback South Australian station and later the dusty WWI battlefields of the Western Front. The simple story-telling combines with stunning images to honour the service of Australian veterans and highlight the important contribution of Indigenous soldiers.
Review –
Illustrator, Shane McGrath, has portrayed the spirit of each page with depth, reflecting the mood of the text. His artwork is divine as he captures the strength of Jimmy and Johnno’s friendship.
Review –
Author, Catherine Bauer, has penned a superb picture book based on the lives of Jimmy Watson (an Indigenous Australian) and Johnno Hogan, at an Australian Outback Cattle Station in 1914.
I love stories like this one, breaking boundaries, breaking fear of the unknown because of skin colour, helping others to see each person, not by their colour, but by their kindness and empathy for others. We all matter.
Review –
Catherine Bauer has included an important information page titled, ‘Indigenous Australians at War’ after the last page of the story. It’s an absolute must read. Dreaming Soldiers is filled with well-chosen words, but there is one sentence in the story that is most poignant. It reads like this: But this time was special too because, for the first time, Jimmy was treated just like everyone else.
Review –
Dreaming Soldiers is most certainly in my top five Anzac Day and Remembrance Day books to read to children and students.
Barbara Braxton –
As we prepare to commemorate an ANZAC Day like no other in living memory, with services online and driveway commemorations, this is a book to be shared at this time so we can think about the sacrifices made by those who have gone before to keep us safe, and renew our commitment to what we have to do now to keep others safe. And if you can’t get this one in time for this year, there are plenty of other suggestions here.
Kids Book Review –
I loved everything about this book, beginning with the fabulous covers and outstanding end pages full of old pennies. The full page illustrations bring us closer to the characters and the happenings. The images are realistic; sharp and alive on the page – especially the war images. Shane McGrath has done a magnificent job translating the text and giving it another dimension by magnifying the most important scenes. The use of khaki throughout the book was a brilliant choice. This is one not to be missed!
KBR –
With impressive well-chosen prose that references the Indigenous theme, Catherine Bauer brings into focus the Indigenous soldiers that served in the Wars. Very few books – especially those for children – touch on this significant subject that is too often ignored. The book speaks to our social conscience. It reminds readers and teaches children, that difference is all in the mind; that what is beneath the skin is how a person should be measured.
Anita Elsing –
I am a Western Australian Primary School teacher, who is using your book Dreaming Soldiers as an integral part of our history studies and ANZAC service for this year. I intend on using it, along with other research and evidence, to enter the DVA ANZAC schools competition, of which we have had great success with every time we enter.
Barbara Braxton – The Bottom Shelf –
This could be the story of any number of friendships of the early 20th century when ‘white’ and indigenous kids on farms formed friendships that were blind to colour, cultural differences or any other racial prejudices and its strong focus on that friendship is its positive. While the treatment of indigenous soldiers during the conflicts that Australia has been involved in since the Boer War in 1899 could have been its focus, its power lies in that spotlight on the friendship, the shared adventures and stories, the fears and hopes that are common regardless of skin colour. Teaching notes are available.
Within the Australian Curriculum, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures cross-curriculum priority is designed for all students to engage in reconciliation, respect and recognition of the world’s oldest continuous living cultures, and so this book offers the opportunity to help our younger students understand that despite rules against their enrolment (those not of “substantially European origin” were excluded from enlisting by the Defence Act 1903) and not being recognised as citizens until 1967,their neglect and exclusion on their return, indigenous people have fought for Australia in many overseas conflicts and their contribution has been vital. Now, each year following the Dawn Service at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, there is a special ceremony acknowledging their service.