1. Accidents
2. Book design
3. Cartography
4. Communication
5. Community
6. Domestic life
7. Families
8. Historical fiction
9. History
10. Isolation
11. Rural life
12. Social life and customs

‘Radio Rescue’ is an historical fiction picture book that invites the reader to imagine an isolated life without the communication devices we know so well today. In this story, the family lives on a sheep station so remote that friends and family cannot be contacted. Life at the Four Wells station is challenging. Mum sometimes worries that her family might get sick or be injured. What then? Talk of a new invention, the radio, would make such a difference to their lives. One day, a new radio arrives! Pedals and Morse Code must be mastered before the family is connected across the outback. Mum shares recipes. Dad sends messages about his stock. Young Jim is too young to have a go, although he is keen.

One day Dad falls to the ground when his horse is spooked by a snake. ‘Call the Flying doctor!’ Dad calls to Jim. He must quickly master how the radio works. Success, and only a half hour later, the flying doctor appears and flies Dad to hospital. Life changes dramatically for the family as they can now exchange ideas and seek advice and most importantly, connect with others.

Robert Ingpen’s art here is rich in historical detail with characters and settings so alive they seem replicated from life. Soft pencil, detailed sketches of the main characters alternate with double page, fold out historical settings. These capitalise on Robert Ingpen’s attention to accurate detail as he documents daily life in this rural setting.

Jane Jolly’s text is the perfect accompaniment. Her rich figurative, often rhythmic and poetic language brings people, objects and settings alive for the reader. There is a clear read aloud quality: ‘engine thrummed and the propellers whirled. Dust danced and swirled.’ Equally rich are Ingpen’s five-fold-out double pages. These essentially Australian colours capture minute details of life in the outback along with the heat and isolation. The characters feature in soft pencil with contemplative expressions and fine details to examine. At the story’s conclusion, there are photographs and drawings that detail the history of radio communication and its importance for those who lived in the Australian outback.

‘Tea and Sugar Christmas’ by this same duo uses a similar format of fold out pages of settings juxtaposed with characters revelling in Australian history. It too captures the story of daily life for those who live in settlements along the transcontinental railway and the Nullabor Plain.

1. ReadPlus review 9 Nov 2016 by Fran Knight of ‘Radio Rescue!’ https://www.readplus.com.au/reviews/radio-rescue-by-jane-jolly
2. Reading Time review 28 Nov 2016 by Katy Gerner of ‘Radio Rescue!’ http://readingtime.com.au/radio-rescue/
3. Aussie Reviews 6 Feb 2017 by Sally Murphy of ‘Radio Rescue! https://aussiereviews.com/2017/02/radio-rescue-by-jane-jolly-robert-ingpen/
4. The Bottom Shelf Great Books for Little People review by Barbara Braxton of ‘Radio Rescue’ https://thebottomshelf.edublogs.org/2016/11/14/radio-rescue/
5. Robert Inpen’s website biographical and bibliographical material http://robertingpen.com/about/
6. Royal Flying Doctor Service 27 Sept 2019 ‘How Alfred Traeger gave the outback its voice’ https://www.flyingdoctor.org.au/qld/news/how-alfred-traeger-gave-outback-its-voice/
7. ABC News by Fred Hooper 10 Aug 2016 ‘Pedal-powered radio brings back memories for creator’s daughter’ https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-10/pedal-powered-radio-brings-back-memories-for-creators-daughter/7712918