is Cole’s Funny Picture Book: The Funniest Picture Book in the World (1876), a collection
which includes the humorous the tragic and the guilty through many different genres:
poems, stories, black and white engravings, puzzles, riddles, teasers and which has been
a family favourite for many years. (Annotations of the many collections of Australian short
stories and poems—both historical and contemporary—are to be found in the research
catalogue Through Australian Eyes which accompanied the 1988 European exhibition of
Australian children’s literature, now housed in the International Youth Library in
Munich, Germany (Bunbury et al. 1988).) Outstanding among more lengthy humorous
tales, is a book known for its fun, its fighting, its endless supply of food, and its tricky
central ‘character’—The Magic Pudding written and illustrated by Norman Lindsay
(1918) —an acclaimed artist of the time. Dorothy Wall’s Australian animal characters
and the koala Blinky Bill in particular, dominated in the publishing scene from 1933 to
1942 and her books are still read today.
A Continent-Wide MarketThe period between Federation and the great depression also saw the development of a
‘continent-wide market’ with a background of strong clashes between capital and
labour, arbitration, an emerging middle class, child endowment, hopes for a new social
regeneration devoid of class privilege, inequality and poverty. Pride in an egalitarian
democratic society was firmly established—at least in the hearts of the people.
There’ll be higher education for the toilin’, starvin’, clown, And the rich an’
educated shall be educated down’.
Henry Lawson, For’ard (1893)A broad cultural background has always been valued by teachers in Australia. When
schooling by correspondence became possible across the vast expanses of the country
(1916), and free secondary education became a reality along with technical education
and kindergartens, the child and adolescent reading population grew. Literature
generally reflected an egalitarian society and a positive commitment to social
regeneration. The new nation was prosperous and—as it thought—far from the troubles
of war.
Australia’s first involvement in war (1914–1918) had re-affirmed yet simultaneously
strained the links with Britain. Post war, there was a call to turn to sources of
inspiration other than the ‘bush’ and the ‘outback’—particularly as the majority of
Australians had become city dwellers. Commercial broadcasting, the movies and the
motor car were a regular part of suburban life. Mass-produced ‘popular children’s
literature emerged—a sign that the publication of children’s books had become a
flourishing business.
Nevertheless, there emerged fine works in the fairy tradition, by the Rentoul sisters,
Annie and Ida (the latter becoming Rentoul Outhwaite), May Gibbs and Pixie O’Harris.
They focused on fairy tales and animal fantasies: gumnut babies met and played with
creatures of the bush. The stories made their impact largely because of inspiration from
art nouveau and the quality of reproduction. Ida Rentoul Outhwaite’s Elves and Fairies
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