Lone Pine

by Susie Brown, Margaret Warner, Sebastian Ciaffaglione (Illustrations)

From a battlefield at Gallipoli, a soldier sends a pine cone home to his mother. Little does he know that his simple gift will become a national symbol of remembrance. Based on a true story, Lone Pine is a moving account of both a personal experience and a nation-defining event.

Genres: Picture Books, History, War

32 pages, Hardcover

First published April 4, 2012

Reviews

[Bec · Rating 3 out of 5]

A straightforward explanation of the historical event of how the Lone Pine came to Australia along with the story of the family of the Soldier who sent it to Australia. Its a story of three sons who went to war but only 2 came home and a mother who decided to plant the pine seeds in memory of her sons.

This book includes some historical details at the back and is a good way of explaining things to younger children.

[Bluebelle-the-Inquisitive (Catherine) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Authors: Susie Brown & Margaret Warner
Illustrator:Sebastian Ciaffaglione
Age Recommendation:Judgement call but not before Middle Primary
Art Style:Appears as Paintings
Topic/ Theme: The Lone Pine, Loss, Inspired by fact.
Setting:Gallipoli, Canberra, Inverell (country New South Wales)

Australia's military history particularly our ANZAC's are something that we tend to educate early on and this is just another angle of that. It's more about those left behind, the repercussions, the memorials, how we remember them than those in the trenches and the conflict itself. Honestly, I think its something adults could do with reading too. I see many adults who don't know this part of our past. I really appreciated the facts on the last pages of the book information about the Battle of Long Pine, the Lone Pine trees, Jane Pyne Perry and Benjamin, Mark and Bertered Smith.

The story broke my heart. more so when I read the facts. Mark Smith died at 22, his brother was 26. For a mother to have to wait for that message every day, that is devastating to me. I really hate war. I respect the soldiers but not the politicians who put them there.*climbs off soapbox* But from that, we have a message of rebirth, growth with the trees grown from the pine cone sent home in the aftermath of the battle. I doubt it did much to heal a mothers loss or even a brothers' (let us not forget the ache he must have felt) but it is something. And that tree has become a symbol.

I'm a huge believer in using picture story books to educate the next generation. Lone Pine doesn't flinch, it's not graphic in the gore sense but it's not all bright a happy either. It's beautifully presented, the art style is fitting for the story, it feels like it does justice in honouring the people in the story it also feels somehow fitting for the time it is set in rich in colours and conveys a tremendous amount of emotion. This book is perfect for that time when younglings are learning about military conflict and WWI, if there is a family trip to Canberra with an opportunity to see the tree or if there is a family member who served. It gives enough information and conveys the emotional gravity of the situation. It is one that educators, parents and caregivers will need to make a judgement call on, it does require maturity and some understanding but it is part of our (Australian) history and that can't be ignored.

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of the family that sent 3 boys to war and only 2 returned. A pine cone was sent home from Gallipoli by one of the sons. This book tells the story of how the seeds grew and the trees planted as a national symbol of remembrance. Beautifully told.

[Rhondda · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story begins in December 2008 with a dramatic image of a lone pine tree being buffeted by a lightning storm in the grounds of the Australian War Memorial. The rest of the book explains why and how it came to be there. The story is simply told but the images and the colours chosen to accompany the story are dramatic and emotive. They not only support the text but add to greatly to it. The last two pages in the back of the book briefly explain the Battle of Lone Pine, a brief summary about the Smith family who were involved in the story and what happened to the pines grown from the seeds.
A lovely way to tell a story about the Anzacs at Gallipoli.

Downloadable teacher's notes by Bec Kavanagh are available from the Hardie grant Egmont site: http://www.hardiegrant.com.au/egmont/....

[The Styling Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

symbolistic gift connects to a nation as a symbol of rememberance. Based on true story. Pretty powerful.

[Debby Baumgartner · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story commentating the Australians who fought in the Battle of Lone Pine in World War I and the trees that have been planted in memory of those that day.