First Light by Gary Crew & Peter Gouldthorpe

First Light by Gary Crew, is a great book to explore with middle or upper primary students and deals with a father/son relationship. The main character who is referred to only as "the boy" until the second last page of the story, is quiet and shy and enjoys constructing model planes in the privacy of his bedroom. The reader is given the impression that he does not normally spend much time with his father and he is often harshly judged by him. One morning before the first light of the day, his father takes him on a special fishing trip, maybe as an attempt to break the distance and silence which has grown up between them. His father obviously means well but is off-hand and gruff towards his son. It is only after a scary experience that the reader senses a change in the father's attitude. It is a subtle tale, poetically written and beautifully illustrated by Peter Gouldthorpe showing  evocative scenes from above and below the waterline.

To learn more about this well-known Australian author click on the link below:
http://www.thelitcentre.org.au/author/gary-crew

The Figures of Julian Ashcroft by Gary Crew and Hans De Haas

Another obscure and dark publication from Gary Crew first published in 1996 which deals with youth and the supernatural. Fans of Crew, especially The Tower, and Caleb,  will not be disappointed. On his home one day, solitary student, Julian, from a somewhat impoverished family (by Western standards!)  finds a figure which is pretty much a replica of himself. Some months later, whilst on his way to play footy, he purchases another figure exactly the same from a toy shop. However,  upon arriving home and eager to place it alongside the existing figure, he is astonished to find his treasure strangely missing! The story then, suddenly jumps forwards in time when Julian is considering going to university or getting a job. His parents offer him the departing gift of a figure. Yes, you guessed it, the same one he had fielded twice before. What could possibly be going on?  Some years later...he encounters an old woman with claw-like hands offering a curious figure which could contain clues to his future. To find the eternal truth Julian must run "the length of a nightmare."  This is a very unusual picture book which will leave the majority of upper primary readers baffled.  But then again, that is exactly what Crew's books are all about. Enjoy.

Arno the Garbo by Gary Crew & Craig Smith

Arno the Garbo by Gary Crew and Craig Smith is an off-beat book about a boy who basically, smells like and looks like garbage. You see Arno lives smack bang in the middle of a tip and this of course makes him the target of many jokes at school where he is known as Rat Head, Stink Bum, and Arno the Garbo. Academically, his performance is dismal and he has no friends. In fact his only consolation in life is his ability to make amazing inventions out of garbage. One day he decides to build a mechanical boy in his own image; the replica turns out to be smart, heroic and popular with the girls, and best off all minus the junkyard pong. This is certainly not in my top five favourite Gary Crew books, nevertheless the quirky illustrations by Craig Smith are up to his usual standard with many jokes to be had from the illustrations.