I recently stumbled on Jon Appleton’s website when I searched ‘second golden age of children’s books’. It’s a celebration not just of writers, illustrators and books, but of publishers, editors, reviewers and commentators as well. At the time, I was only thinking of British children’s books, and creators like Alan Garner and Brian Wildsmith. But although Jon has lived in the UK for many years, he is Australian. And so Australian writers, like Gillian Rubenstein and Robin Klein are well represented too.
He produces a limited edition hand-made zine called the GAB five times a year. Luckily it’s available as a PDF (free!) to subscribers. You can contact Jon at via his site and ask to be added to the mailing list.
The latest issue has a review by Brian Alderson of The Thorny Paradise, edited by Edward Blishen: an appreciation of Anne Wood, an unsung heroine of children’s literacy in the UK: a discussion of a book I’d never heard of (but which I’d like to get my hands on as well) by Irish writer Janet McNeill called The Battle of St George Without: and a profile of writer and editor Aidan Chambers.