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| Book information |
| Title,
subtitle |
Fergal Onions |
| Author |
John Harrison |
| Illustrator |
John
Harrison
|
| Number of pages |
32 pp |
| First Published |
2004 St Lucia, Qld by University of Queensland Press |
| Book Type1 |
Picture book
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| Genre |
Cautionary |
| Reading age |
4 to 8 |
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| Annotation: |
Fergal, whose bald head and huge nose creates an impression of a cross between an infant and a dugong, lives in pleasant surroundings with a dog, cat, flowers, beautiful prints by Matisse, Coburn and Blackman and seven televisions which he turns on, all at once, first thing each morning. His life is shaped by the television schedule until he hears his young neighbour, Annie, play a tune on her violin.
His short quest to find out the origin of this familiar music leads him to leave his house (and miss a soapie), engage with his pleasant neighbours, enjoy sitting in the park with his pets, and dust off his old saxophone so he can practise the Mozart symphony which, in time, he will play with Annie.
My first reaction was that surely this tale about a man, who despite material comfort feels a bit ‘nothing’, relates to stodgy adults who have cut themselves off—but maybe not. A prominent Australian was quoted recently as saying television is the most insidious thing in society holding back children from engagement with the world. And then there is the obesity crisis...
Harrison has a filmic visual style. One could imagine Fergal’s quest translated into a animated short film, and then we would get to hear, and possibly identify the Mozart piece. Pity it is not named though the musically talented may identify it from the part-score provided.
A cautionary tale, but the joyful outcome ensures there is no bad medicine to swallow. |
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| Themes in this book: |
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Change. Composers. Friendship. Happiness. Music. Television.
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| Recent Edition Information |
Publisher: |
UQP |
Binding: |
Hard back
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ISBN: |
0 7022 3448 6 |
Publisher: |
UQP |
Binding: |
Paper back
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ISBN: |
0 7022 3481 8 |
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