Leaving the Lyrebird Forest

'Are you lonely here?' her mother asked.
'Never,' Alice said. 'Not while I am friends with the lyrebird.'

Alice has spent her life living on the outskirts of a small town, in a house nestled in bushland. Every other morning, she is visited by a lyrebird. Her bond with this magnificent bird brings her together with her nearest neighbour, Mr Brown, a widower who loves the bush and its treasures as much as she does.

But change is coming: Alice is growing up, and having to think about her future (a future which might mean leaving the bush for her education). Mr Brown is getting older, and less able to look after himself. And as the nearby town grows, their beloved lyrebird and bushland are threatened too.

A touching story that will resonate with readers everywhere, stunningly illustrated with woodcuts by acclaimed artist Julian Laffan.

Gary Crew (Author)
Gary Crew writes short stories, novels and picture books. Gary is Professor of Creative Writing at the University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. He is particularly interested in researching the creative links between fiction and nonfiction in his novels and the creative interface between print text and visual text in his picture books. During his publishing career of over 30 years Gary has won the Children's Book Council of Australia's Book of the Year four times, twice for novels and twice for his picture books; the New South Wales Premier's Award, the Victorian Premier's Award, the American Children's Book of Distinction, the Aurealis Best Children's Short Fiction, the Wilderness Society's Award for Environmental Writing, and the Royal Geographic Society Whitley Award. Gary lives on the waterfront of subtropical Bribie Island. When he is not writing or lecturing, he loves to walk by the sea or read.

Julian Laffan (Illustrator)
Julian Laffan is an artist, educator and curator. Julian graduated from the School of Art at the Australian National University in Canberra. He is currently a picture book judge for the Children's Book Council of Australia. He specialises in contemporary woodcuts and drawings, using these mediums to create sculptural objects and works on paper that explore themes of history and identity. Julian has produced a series of exhibitions that developed mentorship partnerships between emerging and established artists from across Australia. He is a member of The Culture Kitchen, a Canberra-based cross-cultural collaborative print group. He has worked on inter-cultural print based projects in East Timor, Indonesia and on the Thai-Burma border. His works are in the collection of the Australian Print Council, Canberra Museum and Gallery, and significant private collections.

Julian is a primary school teacher, living with Natasha and their son in Braidwood, New South Wales. He draws and sketches and takes background photographs that form a basis for the woodcuts that accompany this monograph. Julian is passionate about children becoming literate through great books, integrating with the importance of the arts.


For more about Julian visit julian-laffan.squarespace.com