From: Sherryl Clark <sherrylc1_at_optusnet.com.au>
Date: Sun, 13 Mar 2011 17:44:38 +1100

No one has mentioned the American Girl series yet - perhaps you feel the characters aren't strong enough? I'd be interested to know.

I'm putting in a "plug" here for our brand new Our Australian Girl series, launched just last month. I was lucky enough to be one of the authors asked to write four books. At first I wondered what happened in 1900 of interest to girls, until I discovered the suffragette movement was very active then. It was a time of active politics on all sides, and it was fascinating to see what the Australian suffragettes did to promote their cause.

It gave me great leeway to create Rose, not at all interested in being a lady - her passions are learning and playing cricket! I was keen to make Rose into a "trouble maker", not because she does bad things but simply because she baulks against what is expected of females at the time. All of the Australian Girl characters are tough, enterprising and brave, and the response here from young readers has been amazing and uplifting for the authors and publishers. www.ouraustraliangirl.com

Every time I visit a school, I am aware of the message I'm sending to girls in the audience - you, too, can be strong and stick to what you believe in. You don't have to be a Barbie doll!

Sherryl Clark

Sherryl's website is at http://www.sherrylclark.com/ -- her blog is at http://www.sherrylclark.blogspot.com/ Check out her new site at http://www.poetry4kids.net - it's all about poetry for kids! Meet Rose - my Federation girl from the Our Australian Girl series - out now!
Received on Sun 13 Mar 2011 05:44:38 PM CDT