Lizzie Nonsense by Jan Ormerod

"When Lizzie's mama and papa were married, the sun shone on fields of yellow wheat which grew right up to the door of the tiny church. But for as long as Lizzie can remember, she and mama and papa and baby have lived in their little house in the bush, and the church and the neighbours are far away."

Papa needs to take the timber to a faraway town, so mama and Lizzie and baby are left alone for many weeks. As mama completes her chores Lizzie tags along. She sees the world in a different way - using her imagination. The baby in the bath is really floating in the wide blue sea; the flowers from the garden become a bridal bouquet; and for dinner Lizzie declares they will have peaches and cream and sweet little cakes. Of course they are actually having turnips! The church is too far away but on Sunday's they put on their best clothes and walk along the track pretending they are returning from church. Finally papa arrives home:

"And they walk together back to their little house in the bush."

Image source: State Library of Victoria Story Island

Lizzie Nonsense has a special dedication to "my grandmother Beatrice Evelyn Harvey 1883-1972", so we know this book is based on true events. Jan Ormerod, who died in 2013, also wrote The Water Witcher based on the life of her grandfather.

Here is the full Kirkus Star review: When Papa takes the cut sandalwood into town, Lizzie, Mama and the baby are all alone in their little house in the bush. Lizzie is always playing and pretending; Mama calls it Lizzie nonsense, but her imagination helps lighten the daily chores and hard work. While Mama tends the garden, she picks flowers and becomes a bride; as she helps Mama prepare the usual turnips for dinner, they become peaches and cream; as they mend clothes, Lizzie pretends to make a party dress with buttons and bows. Mama even joins the playfulness when they dress in their best on Sunday and walk along the track and back, pretending they’ve been to church. The beautiful painterly, watercolor illustrations are a departure from Ormerod’s earlier cuddly style. The earth-hued wispy and airy paintings affectionately embellish Lizzy’s nonsense, conveying a warmhearted snippet of time when a family bond overcame the hardships of Australian pioneer life to make a home in an untamed land. Based on anecdotes from the author’s own family history.

Lizzie Nonsense was published in 2004 and shortlisted by the CBCA in 2005. In 2006 IBBY Australia selected Lizzie Nonsense as our Honour Book title for illustration. Here is the catalogue annotation:

Lizzie lives with her mama, papa and baby brother on a remote farm in the Australia bush. Papa leaves the family for weeks on end while he delivers wood to the distant town leaving Lizzie, her Mama and baby alone in the bush. Lizzie is a lively girl with a vivid imagination. Her brother in his bath is floating in the ocean, a fallen log is her brave steed and flowers in the garden become a bridal bouquet. Lizzie is such a happy girl. She finds delight in the smallest of things and her buoyant outlook and positivity help her Mama during these difficult days. Even though she dismisses Lizzie’s ideas as nonsense Mama has her own daydreams too. On Sundays they put on their best clothes and pretend they have walked to church. Finally, after all the long weeks, they hear a sound. Is that harness jangling just in the imagination? No it is papa! Lizzie Nonsense is dedicated to the memory of Jan Ormerod’s grandmother and her life in the 1890s. It is a tale told with warmth, tenderness and humour. The images are built up from pencil drawings. Watercolour and ink are used to evoke the light of the Australian bush and the simple candlelight of their home. Several illustrations are presented as an oval similar to a framed picture placed on a dresser or mantle.

Sadly, it is now out of print. I thought of it again when it was mentioned in a recent podcast when the presenter listed books about weddings. I did a blog post about this a few days ago. Today I discovered the 2013 paperback edition of Lizzie Nonsense and it does look like a wedding story even though in my mind this is still a minor aspect of the story. The cover image comes from the title page of the original book. 

I have talked about many books by Jan Ormerod in the past. Click on the label for this post to find more of her books. 

When I first read Lizzie Nonsense I thought of this wonderful Australian poem which I learned by heart for a play called Yarns and Woolley Tales in 1984:

Before the glare o’ dawn I rise

To milk the sleepy cows, an’ shake

The droving dust from tired eyes,

Look round the rabbit traps, then bake

The children’s bread.

There’s hay to stook, an’ beans to hoe,

An’ ferns to cut in the scrub below,

Women must work, when men must go

Shearing from shed to shed.

I patch an’ darn, now evening comes,

An’ tired I am with labour sore,

Tired o’ the bush, the cows, the gums,

Tired, but we must dree for long months more

What no tongue tells.

The moon is lonely in the sky,

Lonely the bush, an’ lonely I

Stare down the track no horse draws nigh,

An’ start . . . at the cattle bells.

Looking for Rex by Jan Ormerod illustrated by Carol Thompson

"The children are sure that Gramps would never feel lonely if he had a dog of his own. They say a dog should be called Rex but what would Rex look like? So they play 'Looking for Rex', and pretend to see Rex, but whenever they think they find Rex ... 

it is never really the right Rex. Where is he?"

The opening page of this book has framed illustrations with no text. We see a contented but also possibly lonely grandfather walking, looking out of a window, eating breakfast and watching the television at night - all alone. If you look very closely you can see his wedding photo from long ago, on the mantel. Mum thinks Gramps needs a cat but they make him itchy. Dad thinks Gramps needs to go out more perhaps he could try dancing but Gramps knows this won't work. The children know Gramps needs only one thing - a dog. 

"On the weekend Gramps visits his caravan. He walks along the cliffs. He collects shells on the beach and has a picnic on his bed. He is sure he would never feel alone if he had a dog of his own."

But Gramps is getting old, and he worries Rex might trip him or wear him out. Sadly, he decides Rex is not for him. BUT on Sunday he visits mum and dad and the three grandchildren, and they have a wonderful surprise in a small box. 

"You can help us look after him Gramps. You can play with him and take him for walks. You will help us groom him and flea him and clip his claws. And we will look after him until he is an old dog with a grey muzzle and stiff legs. When we go on holidays, Rex can stay at your house."

When you find this book be prepared to linger over the wonderful final end paper - it's filled with sketches of dogs. 

How did I miss this book? I guess I was away from my library in 2012 when it was published but surely it featured in the CBCA (Children's Book Council of Australia) notables in 2013? No it didn't - why not? I adore books by the late Jan Ormerod - I have put some at the end of this post. I did look on Trove and this book is available in 26 libraries in New South Wales (Public libraries) and I am certain it will still be in the collection of many primary school libraries too. This book would be a joy to share in a class of children in Kindergarten or Grade One. It has not been borrowed from the library I visit since 2014 but I have to wonder why. The cover is appealing, and the story is terrific - no one dies, they do find Rex and everyone lives happily ever after. 

The illustrations in this book are joyous, energetic and filled with emotion (oh and there are lots of different dogs too). You can see work by UK illustrator Carol Thompson on her Instagram page. 

Carol Thompson's career as a children’s picture book illustrator and writer has seen her publish forty five books in fifteen languages. Her work has been awarded The Frank Warner Gold Award, Royal Society of Arts Bursary, Mother Goose Award for Children's Book Illustrations and the Oppenheim Gold Award. Carol remembers that as a child she always loved drawing and painting and read anything she could get her hands on, from Enid Blyton books to ‘the back of cereal boxes.’ Her artwork is inspired by Maurice Sendak, Edward Ardizzone, E. H. Shepard, the Japanese animator Hayo (‘Spirited Away’), Patrick Heron and Jan Ormerod.

This story reminded me of Let's Get a Pup by Bob Graham and also a tiny long out of print beginner chapter book - 

Here are some other books by Jan Omerod.

Carol Thompson writes and illustrates beautiful board books - I have a few on my own wish list just waiting for the right baby to be born.