If you, like me, have a deep love and appreciation for children’s literature then you have to get to know “Sydney Of The Antarctic”! This delightful tale was one of our discoveries whilst we were romping through the Hobart Museum. It is quite simply a story book about a little lost toy.
“A tale for those who have ever wanted to be lost…or found”.
The lady who wrote the story was the artist in residence on one of the Russian Icebreakers that makes it’s way to the Antarctic every summer. She actually did take her toy mouse with her, and really truly lost him when she put him down to snap some photos and make a few sketches whilst visiting “Scott’s Hut”. When she discovered much later that she had left him behind, and there was no chance of going back to get him….she quickly sketched a “Missing Person’s Report” detailing what he looked like, where she left him etc….and faxed it off to the society in NZ who maintain The Terra Nova Hut at Cape Evans. Needless to say every party that returns to the Hut, carries out a search for the missing mouse! That in itself is a cool story, but is not the tale itself. Coral has constructed a beautiful story, around him being left behind and having so much fun “exploring” that he’s not ready to come home yet. I don’t know why, but it resonated with me…
Check it out…. Read it….Love it!
“Sydney Of The Antarctic” by Coral Tulloch (ISBN 9780733321023) It is available through the ABC Shop.
