History of shire in new fiction for kids
lifestyle
Arts & Entertainment
07 Jul 09
by Amy Walker
A BALLAN publisher has talked a prolific Australian writer into localising a children’s book for Moorabool Shire.
Connor Court publisher Anthony Cappello has published a Moorabool-inspired version of James Tierney’s Squiggles and Squinter.
Mr Cappello said the book was set in 1875, with action taking place near Bacchus Marsh, Ballan, Gordon, Greendale and Mt Egerton.
“When he (James Tierney) approached me about his bushranging book, I declined as we do not publish fiction,” Mr Cappello said.
“However, with interest in using the book in schools in NSW and with Moorabool’s strong bushranging tradition, I asked him if we could rewrite the book to make our shire its setting. This he did, including landmarks such as Blackwood, Moorabool, and Moonlite’s trail.
“He even named the two families in the book as the Ballans and the Greendales.
“By making Squiggles and Squinter localised we are teaching children some of the rich history of the shire.”
The first three readers to email the correct answer to the following question will win a copy of the book along with Meg, Mog and Miss Molly by Ballan teacher Yvonne Horsfield. The question is where was Ned Kelly hanged? Email your answers to walkerad@ leadernewspapers.com.au.
Photo taken from the Moorabool Leader
