1. Anthropomorphism
2. Art motifs
3. Death
4. Fear
5. Freedom
6. Gallipoli
7. Graphic novels
8. Historical fiction
9. Illness
10. Soldiers
11. WW1

Despite relying on deeply problematic anthropomorphism, this full colour graphic novel contains considerable historical detail about Australia’s involvement in World War 1 and the Gallipoli campaign. Two very young men living on a farm, Wally and Roy, are amongst the first to enlist when war breaks out in August 1914 and are sent to Turkey for what they think will be a grand adventure. Details of the landing at Gallipoli, life, sickness and death in the trenches, reactions and responses to the war back in Australia, and hints of life after the trenches are portrayed primarily via dialogue and the predominantly muted tones of the hand-drawn illustrations. Australian characters are mostly kangaroos or wallabies but also include koalas, wombats, cockatoos and a cassowary. The Turkish soldiers are portrayed as a caracal lynx and Field Marshal Lord Kitchener makes a brief appearance as a lion.

Greg Holfeld’s illustrations have a muted palette in browns, rust and beige which is appropriate for the bright Australian sunshine in the beginning of the book and also works well when adjusted in darker hues to reflect the mud, dreariness and disease of the trenches. One of the most striking double page spreads in the book occurs on pages 50-51, which is wordless, red and brown and depicts – at a safe enough narrative and visual distance – hand to hand combat between the Australian and Turkish troops. The jagged panels and geometrically sharp but random gutters combine to convey terror and human frailty. The centre panel with a terrified single eye gazes directly at the reader. Emanata are used sparingly, with blood-red washes in most panels and only small pale blue brushstrokes at the bottom right corner which signifies narrative intensity and a call to retreat.

There are maps, a timeline and notes at the end of the book which help to explain some of the early 20th century Australian idiom, historical details and photograph credits. The endpapers are reproductions of WW1 postcards and family correspondence but there are no further reading or reference citations. The text and illustrations provide ample opportunities for further discussion, debate and musings on the impact and ongoing legacy of Australia’s campaign at Gallipoli.

‘An Anzac Tale’ was translated into French (‘Un Australien a Gallipoli’) in 2017 by Paquet.

Awards:
Winner – Bronze Ledger awards 2014 (now known as the Comic Arts Awards of Australia)
CBCA Notable for Book of the Year: Younger Readers 2014, Notable Eve Pownall Award for Information Books 2014, Notable Book of the Year: Picture Book 2014

1. Teacher’s notes by Erin Wamala, including author and illustrator profiles and various activities https://www.pegiwilliams.com.au/pdfs/teachernotes/9781921504532.pdf
2. In ‘Angelica; An International Journal of English Studies’, a broader perspective on the topic of WW1 and Anzacs in Australian children’s literature includes brief mention of An Anzac Tale. The article is available to download for free https://www.researchgate.net/publication/330722888_The_ANZAC_Tribulations_at_Gallipoli_in_Recent_Australian_Children%27s_Literature
3. Brief teaching notes to discuss the book’s final double page spread and its question, ‘Why would any Australian want to come to Gallipoli?” https://s00126896.weebly.com/lesson-four.html
4. Buzz Words Magazine, an e-zine for Australian writers and illustrators, teachers and librarians, review by Vicki Thornton of ‘An Anzac Tale’, 19 March 2013 http://www.buzzwordsmagazine.com/2013/03/an-anzac-tale.html
5. Many resources and further links on Australia’s involvement in WW1 and at Gallipoli from the ABC education site including Stories of Australians from regional areas who signed up for the war effort in 1914 suitable for year 3 - year 10 https://www.abc.net.au/education/collections/untold-stories-from-australian-wwi-memorials/
6. ABC Education, ‘Top 10 resources to learn about the Anzacs’, 19 April 2022 https://www.abc.net.au/education/top-10-educational-resources-to-learn-about-the-anzacs/13817724
7. Australian War Memorial, ‘Understanding Gallipoli’ for year 5 - year 9 students https://www.awm.gov.au/learn/schools/resources/understanding-gallipoli
8. Australian War Memorial, Resources for understanding WW1 https://www.awm.gov.au/learn/schools/resources/firstworldwar