Bushfire book eases grief for disaster victims
Bushfire book eases grief for disaster victims
23 June 2011
published by www.abc.net.au
Australia — A Victorian children’s author is hoping her new book about the Black Saturday bushfires can ease the grief of families enduring natural disasters around Australia.
The book, Can we go home now? was funded by the Uniting Church of Australia’s Share Community Appeal.
At least 500 copies of the book will be donated to schools and libraries in fire-affected communities.
It is a sequel to the book Black Saturday was my Dad’s birthday, which was so well received, it was reprinted.
Author Kate Wilson of Chum Creek, says the book reflects on the aftermath of the fires and the struggles both adults and children face.
She says her vision is to see both books in every school and library around Australia.
“No matter what your disaster, so whether it’s floods or earthquakes or whatever it is, once you’ve lost your home the challenges that we all face are fairly similar,” she said.
Ms Wilson is Black Saturday survivor who tells the story through both her own and her son’s perspective.
She says the issues of trauma and grief are more accessible to children through picture books.
