The true story of a little dog who had adventure in his heart and the rattle of the rails in his soul. Now in paperback!
In the early days of the railway, when shiny new tracks were opening vast areas of Australia, there was an adventurous dog who was part of it all. As the tracks were being laid he was there on the train - riding in his favourite spot on top of the Yankee engine. Everyone knew him. He was Bob the Railway Dog.
This delightful story of Bob will melt the hearts of the readers and McLean’s wonderful illustrations add to the development of the tale. His watercolour, charcoal and black pen illustrations bring the last part of the nineteenth century to life, as we see the sparse landscapes of the mid north of South Australia, the growing wealth of the cities, the detail of the stations now closed, the finely observed porters’ rooms, and the steam trains chugging through the saltbush. Text and illustration create a beautiful picture book evocative of times past, but extolling the virtues of independence and loyalty.
Corinne Fenton is the author of 25 books for children but her passion is picture books about social history. Her classic picture book Queenie: One Elephant’s Story, illustrated by Peter Gouldthorpe, was an Honour Book in the 2007 Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Book of the Year Awards. The Dog on the Tuckerbox, also illustrated by Gouldthorpe, was named a Notable Book in two categories of the 2009 CBCA Awards.
Andrew McLean grew up in the Victorian country town of Bairnsdale. He trained as a painter and teacher, and taught in secondary schools before becoming a lecturer in painting and drawing at Caulfield Institute of Technology. He has been a full-time artist now for more than thirty years. Andrew and his wife Janet have created many picture books together, and Andrew also illustrates books written by other authors. Many of his books have been award winners: he has won the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Award three times. Bob the Railway Dog (written by Corinne Fenton) is his first work with Black Dog Books.
