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Tyson doesn't understand why Mum and Poppa would want to go to the Anzac Dawn Parade. Why celebrate anything as stupid as war?
But then he hears stories about the soldiers in his family and decides perhaps he should go to the Dawn Parade after all.
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This is a brilliant book for teaching children and adults alike about ANZAC commemorations. Children especially who are having a hard time trying to figure out why their parents get them up early on a cold, sometimes wet ANZAC Day morning to just to stand quietly and watch a dawn parade will benefit greatly from this book.
The well illustrated book is both easy for children to read and comprehend. My nieces and nephews really enjoyed this story and have a greater appreciation and understanding for the ANZAC Day commemorations.
Although they have known it was an important occasion and enjoy watching their cousins, aunties, uncles and grandfather march in past parades has inspired them to take more interest in the occasion by doing their own research online and by asking questions about all aspects of the event. With their new found wealth of information they really can't wait for next years ANZAC parade.
I would recommend this book to all families. It's a must have book for all households.
With a Grandfather who never spoke of what he saw when he went off to War it has been hard to explain to my own children what he went through and why it is important to celebrate ANZAC Day. This book was very easy to read, each of my children came away with a much clearer understanding of what it is we celebrate and also the effects it had on those who went off to fight for our country. I thought it was very sensitively written, and the illustrations were wonderful. I think this would be a great book to have as part of your children's library or for schools.
WOW what a wonderful story. 'Lest we Forget' is absolutely amazing. The story and the message really hits home, and is one that I think every family should own. I read it alone to start with, as I like to get a feel for a book before reading it to my children, and so I know which children (as mine have a big age gap) it would be suited. After reading this, I myself had a new appreciation of wars and the people that leave their loved ones to fight for what is important (usually freedom).
I decided that we would read the book next as a family (including my husband and 4 yr old) and everyone sat quietly and listened for the entire story, which once finished then opened up a discussion on what it ANZAC day means and the importance behind it, and of course on war itself, and whether any of our family were in any wars.
This book not only has a great story, but it teaches so much in such a few short pages. And like Tyson, we all took something from it.
It is easy to read, and neither to long nor to short. The pictures although not true photographs still give the reader a sense of the love, hurt, courage every family endured when someone went to, fought in and came home from a war.
A truly wonderful book and story and definitely a must read for every family.
This is a great book for teaching the younger generation about ANZAC day. It answers all the questions the young ones have, such as 'Why celebrate something as stupid as war'.
In the story Tyson (a young boy) doesn't want to attend the ANZAC memorial service, as he doesn't want to celebrate war or people dying and being injured. So his Mum, Nana and Poppa teach him about the great depression and how men went to war to support their families as there was barely any work for them. They explained how it was a chance for the men to see the world and the men went to protect their countries. Tyson takes some time to think about all this before deciding whether or not to attend the memorial service.
I would definitely recommend this book because it teaches children what ANZAC day is really about.
In my youth, I was much like Tyson... unable to grasp why the old folks would want to remember the horrors of war, to celebrate the loss of all that innocent youth. Both my grandfather and father had fought in big wars, and they educated me in much the same way Tyson, the main character of this story, was educated... by telling the stories of what happened, why they did what they did, and why they knew it would have to be done again by another generation.
Like Tyson, I too went to the Dawn Parades, and still do... not to glorify war, not to celebrate the victories, but to honour those who stood up for what they believed in, what they felt was the right thing to do, and who laid down their lives for the betterment of others.
This is a very poignant reminder of my youth, and of why ANZAC Day is important... REALLY important. Why it is more than just a bunch of uniforms lurking around supermarkets selling mass-produced plastic poppies. It's about remembering those who did their duty, at the expense of life or limb... or soul.
Overall, as well as the beautiful and unusually coloured illustrations, which are a delight to see, this is one book every house should have in the kids' library. Use it to teach them why they must never forget... why they must find some way to learn to live in peace... while there is still a chance.
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