Tuesday, November 11, 2014

LONE PINE

THE LONE PINE
From Tia:
“At last the sky clears.The years pass.The tree weathers many storms…but the Lone Pine still stands proud and strong.”
Lone Pine is a captivating book, which conquered my heart. It really makes me feel a connection to the families now and then. I now truly understand what feels like to have family involved in a war.Susie Brown and Margaret Warner used powerful language to create a heart-stopping story. The strong, sharp sentences make a lovely story.  

From Daniel:
The Lone Pine is a story about WW1 in Gallipoli, Turkey. Three brothers go to war for what they think is going to be an amazing adventure. But the soldiers of Turkey are ready for them and the the fight is short and fierce. Two of the brothers survive but one falls in battle.
The oldest brother finds a pine cone while searching for his younger sibling and posts it to his mother who is back home in Australia. She puts them in a pot and grows three small saplings from the seeds of the pine. two survive and are green and healthy but the last one weathers away and dies. She sends the first one to a place called Inverell. The second went to Canberra to the memorial for the war where it still is today.

From Tom:
You can feel the pain in the story of a lost brother, a lost child, possibly a lost father or husband. You don’t want to take things for granted after  reading this story, knowing that this happens every day, receiving the dreadful news of a loved one, gone forever....a truly beautiful sight for such a horrible battle!
The beauty, although, keeps us remembering them, thanking them, knowing our lives would not be the same because of them.~Lest We Forget~


From Will:
The lone pine is a sad but heart warming true story. The emotions it brings to mind move from the sad moments to the moments that fill your heart with joy. It's a story of remembrance that proves that a mother’s love is very, very strong...a family's bond will never break.

From Gemma: I love the amazing vibrant images and the way the illustrator Sebastian Ciaffaglone captured the story was incredible. This book was stunning. “Lest We Forget.”


From Ava:I feel terrified. Bullets are speeding toward us as we are running to war. Many have fallen in the time that has gone past, but I have survived till the end of the war. Now I am looking for my little brother who I still can not find.  I come across a pine branch that has a one last cone on it. I hold  it  tightly and smell the aroma of it. It reminds me of my mother's garden so very much.




4 comments:

  1. Dear Tia, Daniel, Tom, Will, Gemma and Ava,
    Thank you so much for your lovely comments about our story. I have really enjoyed reading your writing. Gemma, I will pass your compliment onto Sebastian. I am sure that he will be very happy to know that you love his illustrations. (I agree with you entirely. He is an amazing artist.) Thank you all for blogging about Lone Pine.
    Best wishes,
    Susie Brown

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  2. How lucky we are to have beautiful picture books like 'Lone Pine' to help us understand the impact of war and the importance of remembering. Susie's story both touches our hearts and allows us to walk in other people's shoes. I can see that both the story and illustrations from 'Lone Pine' have made a big impact on you from your thoughtful responses.

    Another book I can recommend that you might like to read if you have it in your library is 'The Soldier's Gift' by Tony Palmer with stunning illustrations by Jane Tanner. A tree is also an important part of remembering in this story.

    Keep up your fabulous work and happy reading!

    Miss Y :)



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  3. Hi Tia, Daniel, Tom, Will,Gemma and Ava.

    I've just read all your thoughtful comments about Lone Pine and would like to thank you for sharing them. You've all thought a lot about the story and the emotions of the people involved and how important it is to remember those who went to war. Gemma, Sebastian's illustrations certainly do create a very strong impact. He is a very talented artist.
    Thank you again for your comments, Year 5/6.
    It's really good to hear comments about Lone Pine and what our readers think about it.

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  4. Thanks to Susie, Margaret and Kim! You all know how much your feedback means to us! We were delighted to read the messages.

    Mrs Yore and Middle MY

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