Anzac Day Parade by Glenda Kane & Lisa Allen

Anzac Day Parade is a celebration of the sacrifice that the soldiers at the battle of Crete gave and the memory of their valour. A young boy asks his grandad a question about the war, and it leads to a reflection of the senselessness of war, and the sadness that accompanies it.

While it is presented as a children’s book, complete with beautiful illustrations and straightforward language, the tone of the book is quite serious and tackles some quite emotional moments:

There he stood on the sun-parched hill,

a straggler from 18th Battalion.

A chest load of medals, a leg full of shrapnel;

that’s what he got for his valiance.

(Anzac Day Parade: Glenda Kane & Lisa Allen)

However, the message is such an important one that the language and imagery is appropriate in teaching the next generation about these brave men.

The way the drawings and water-colouresque backgrounds work with the text is beautiful. The poignancy of the words and the subtlety of the background really seek to encourage the reader to engage with the whole sequence.

The final image of the young boy placing a poppy at the cenotaph really highlights the deep connection we all have with these soldiers. We will remember them.

Reviewer: Chris Reed

Bateman Books