Arts & Culture
Telling the stories of storytelling
The treasure trove that is the National Centre for Australian Children’s Literature is a showcase of a love for reading and the imaginary characters that have shaped people’s lives for generations.
Who can ever forget those night time rituals of jumping into bed in anticipation of the next ‘slice’ of The Magic Pudding, and the adventures of Bunyip Bluegum, Bill Barnacle and Sam Sawnoff as they encounter the tricks of the dreaded Pudding Thieves.
It is no surprise then that children’s literature lives well beyond the lifetime of the author. This is evident, for example, in the story told and illustrated by Norman Lindsay in The Magic Pudding, which is still in print today, close to 50 years after his death.
The Magic Pudding, first published in 1918, is an iconic, classic piece of Australian children’s literature; and it is but one piece of a giant puzzle that makes up the celebration of children’s literature at the National Centre for Australian Children’s Literature.
With over 42,000 books lining the shelves of the centre that occupies a corner of the University of Canberra’s library, it is a living collection of everything children’s literature-related.
From original collections of May Gibbs’ works and our favourite Gumnut characters dating back to 1915 to some of today’s most sought after illustrators such as Graeme Base or Shaun Tan, the chest of storybook gems encased in the archives of the National Centre for Children’s Literature will continue to bring stories to life for many years to come.
The passion of Dr Belle Alderman, director of the National Centre for Australian Children’s Literature is infectious as she shares the riches housed in the Archives. Together with a small group of trusted volunteers, Belle holds dear every illustration or book that arrives at the Centre.
Belle keenly introduces any visitor to the oldest or latest literature available. From the most fragile original artworks to some of the latest research in children’s literature; anything related to children’s literature can be found in the archives – which is among the greatest collections of children’s literature in Australia.
"Sharing bedtime stories and following the adventures of our most loved childhood storybook characters remain etched in our memories, as children’s literature resonates into adulthood," said Belle.
To show how Australian children’s books are loved around the world and become part of cultures everywhere, that is the power of children’s literature.
A perfect example, in fact, is the story of The Magic Pudding, of which 30 copies are housed in the centre. Three of these are translations in Hebrew, German and Japanese. This is not uncommon. A quiet stroll along the centre’s bookshelves reveal that translations from Zulu to Afrikaans to Chinese are commonplace.
This is evidence that children’s stories cross cultural boundaries, stimulate imagination and, most importantly, touch lives in profound ways, even in the furthest reaches of the world.
Australian authors have managed to share their interesting characters, memorable storylines and creative illustrations for many generations; the National Centre for Australian Children’s Literature will continue to build a storytelling narrative that will stand the test of time.
Words by Andy Visser and images courtesy of Belle Alderman