1. Animal welfare
2. Anthropomorphism
3. Art techniques
4. Empathy
5. Environment
6. Extinction
7. History
8. Imagery
9. Literary techniques
10. Personification
11. Sadness
12. Survival
13. Sustainability
14. Thylacine
15. Zoos

‘One Careless Night’ is inspired by the death from exposure of the last Tasmanian thylacine, left out of its Hobart shelter by the zookeeper one cold night. This stark and moving true story is reflected in the dark, foreboding and unforgettable images that unsettle both readers and viewers. Benjamin, the last thylacine in captivity, died on 7 September 1936, the date now known as the ‘National Threatened Species Day in Australia’.

Christina Booth’s story is an emotional journey led by her powerful dark imagery and poetic technique of personification where ‘winds whisper’, ‘mist swallows mountains’ and ‘night devours the sun’. Her provocative words, invariably succinct, are reflected in her digital art featuring dark colours, mysterious shapes along with a sense of apprehension and fear as mother thylacine and her young race through the forest, lured by bait, then captured. The captured young thylacine eventually forgets her mother that died and their earlier life of freedom where they hunted and lived in their forest home.

While text and illustrations convey a deep sadness, an Australian newspaper clipping at the story’s conclusion is even more devastating. It announces a bounty for the destruction of every full-grown Native Tiger. The unemotional description of the hunters’ reward is deeply moving.

Christina Booth’s artwork is perfectly attuned to this story: dark, foreboding and threatening. The palette is in shades of grey, occasional tinges of sage green, shiny silver and dense black. Shadowy flying birds and hunters with their rifles add to an eerie scene. Perhaps, ultimately, this is a story of hope. It is a story which demands discussion. Today we have a greater appreciation of the animals with whom we share the earth. This story reminds us of our responsibilities.

Another excellent book about thylacines is ‘The Dream of the Thylacine’ by Margaret Wild, illustrated by Ron Brooks. Information about the book can be found in this database.

1. Lamont Books Teacher Notes and Activities for ‘One Careless Night’ https://www.lamontbooks.com.au/media/147543/june-2019-ps-one-careless-night.pdf
2. ReadPlus review 23 June 2019 by Fran Knight https://www.readplus.com.au/reviews/9939
3. Walker Books classroom Ideas for ‘One Careless Night’ https://classroom.walkerbooks.com.au/home/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/One-Careless-Night-Classroom-Ideas.pdf
4. Kids’ Book Review 19 June 2019 by Cherrie Ryan of ‘One Careless Night’ http://www.kids-bookreview.com/2019/06/review-one-careless-night.html
5. The Bottom Shelf review by Barbara Braxton of ‘One Careless Night’ https://thebottomshelf.edublogs.org/2019/06/26/one-careless-night/
6. Australian Government Prime Minister’s Literary Awards Children’s Literature Shortlist 2020 for ‘One Careless Night’ includes profile of Christina Booth and the judges’ comments about this book https://www.arts.gov.au/pm-literary-awards/shortlist/one-careless-night
7. Wilderness Society Picture Fiction Winner in the 2020 Environment Award for Children’s Literature includes Christina Booth talking about this book https://www.wilderness.org.au/one-careless-night
8. The Conversation February 1, 2013. Maree Attard “Why did the Tasmanian Tiger go extinct?’  https://theconversation.com/why-did-the-tasmanian-tiger-go-extinct-11324