The paintings of iconic Australian artists are brought to life in this exciting new picture book series of adventures about a young boy and girl. In this first book, Ben and Gracie Green enter the paintings of Frederick McCubbin and experience early settlement life in Australia.
When Ben and Gracie visit their mum at the art gallery where she works, they lose themselves in the paintings of colonial artist Frederick McCubbin, venturing back in time to meet with new settlers to Australia. Transported into a raging dust storm before moving on to a forest glade, Ben and Gracie travel with their new friends and see for themselves the difficulties faced in the harsh Australian bush environment. But on venturing deeper into the forest in search of wildflowers, the pair come across fairies and lose their way at nightfall. Will they be able to find their way back to the settlers and the art gallery?
Teachers' guide available at www.benandgracie.com.au
Acclaimed author/illustrator Mark Wilson's picture books include the war-themed series, MY MOTHER'S EYES: THE STORY OF A BOY SOLDIER (2009), ANGEL OF KOKODA (2010), VIETNAM DIARY (2013) and DIGGER, THE DOG WHO WENT TO WAR (2015). He has also written and illustrated MIGALOO, THE WHITE WHALE (2015), BETH: THE STORY OF A CHILD CONVICT (2016), NEVER LOSE HOPE: THE STORY OF AUSTRALIA'S FIRST SCHOOL (2018), EUREKA!: A STORY OF THE GOLDFIELDS (2019), RACHEL'S WAR: THE STORY OF AN AUSTRALIAN WWI NURSE (2020) and the art-themed books BEN & GRACIE'S ART ADVENTURE (2011) and INSIDE THE WORLD OF TOM ROBERTS (2012). His other titles include the Wilderness Society and Whitley Award-winning Extinction series I SAW NOTHING: THE EXTINCTION OF THE THYLACINE; I SAID NOTHING: THE EXTINCTION OF THE PARADISE PARROT and I DID NOTHING: THE EXTINCTION OF THE GASTRIC BROODING FROG and YELLOW-EYE (2002), which also won the Wilderness Society Award. EUREKA! A STORY OF THE GOLDFIELDS was the first children's picture book to be longlisted for the prestigious Colin Roderick Award. Mark lives in Frankston, Victoria.