A story of a WW1 survivor

To Be Released in March 2017 (apologies that I have jumped the gun a bit with this)

NZ Writer and Illustrator Jennifer Beck, illustrated by Fifi Colston Torty and the soldier – a story of a WWI survivor Scholastic 2017  $15.99pb 32 pp

ISBN 978 1 7754 3365 1

Themes: Salonica/ True stories/ World War I

Over 100 years have passed since a field hospital was bombed in Salonika during World War I. It was here a young Kiwi soldier, Stewart Little rescued a small Greek tortoise that had been run over by a tank and eventually brought her back to New Zealand and cared for her. When she finally died it was estimated she was over 200 years old. In spite of it being set (at the beginning) in a distressing war zone this is a gentle story brought amazingly to life by Jennifer Beck (see the net for her other well known World War 1 stories) and in Fifi Colston’s illustrations. Fifi has also ‘specialised’ in this area and I think these illustrations are amongst her best.

Year 2 up/ Age 6 up