Launch of Children's novel Bushfire
18 Mar 10
This book is a gripping story about a child's experience of a bushfire and its aftermath. Although a fictional story, it also offers a path to dealing with the trauma and emotional upheaval experienced by anyone affected by bushfire. The book is written with children and teenagers in mind but speaks to all ages and provides parents, or anyone involved with young people, with a wonderful device to approach the issues surrounding traumatic events.
The author of Bushfire, Elizabeth Mellor, has had firsthand experience of the terror and trauma of bushfire. In 2002 she spent thirteen hours alone at her home near Seymour, Victoria during which a firestorm raged up to the walls of the house. The Black Saturday bushfires triggered memories of her experience, prompting her to write this book. Her background as a social worker and counsellor, combined with her personal experience, made her aware of the need to address some of the emotional issues faced by children who have been, either directly or indirectly, impacted by the horrors of bushfire.
As Elizabeth explains, "Following the 2009 fires, I heard many terrible stories as well as stories of great warmth and courage. After my own experience, I had often thought about the impact of fires on children and teenagers and wished there were ways I could contribute to their healing. I really wanted a way to do this that did not overwhelm them, whilst showing that it is necessary to face trauma so that they can move forward. The characters in Bushfire do face just what they need to and reach resolution and peace."
Bushfire begins on a very hot Australian summer's day with the threat of bushfire in the air. Ruby, the central character, lives with her parents and her dog, Gypsy, on a property some distance from town. For over 50 hours, Ruby and her parents face the rigours of bushfire.
After a long fight, they and their house survive, although their olive grove is destroyed. The story is written through Ruby's eyes and it takes us both through the fire and its aftermath. Having survived the fire, Ruby's family moves to a recovery centre set up on the local cricket oval where we get to know the other characters central to the book. This time of facing day-to-day difficulties and painful realisations is balanced by humour, good old fashioned common sense and an underlying theme of learning how different people cope with trauma and their recovery from it. While living there, Ruby returns to school where she faces problems with other students who didn't experience the fire and has to come to terms with her own grief. The story ends six months after the fires, as neighbours and friends gather at Ruby's home to celebrate lives and to say "goodbye" to those who died.
Elizabeth has also written a Parents' Resource Book, which is downloadable free of charge from the book web site (www.bushfirebook.com.au) to accompany Bushfire. The Parents' Resource Book outlines issues dealt with in the story, methods for dealing with impact of such issues, what to watch for in children and teenagers recovering from trauma, how to help them deal with it and advice for parents seeking additional help for children.
Bushfire is available from Palmer Higgs Books, http://www.palmerhiggsbooks.com.au/ from March 2010 or by telephone (03) 8892 4410. The cost is $17.95 plus post and packaging.