or signup to continue reading When Wodonga illustrator Pinky Wittingslow first read Border author Aimee Chan's latest children's picture book, , she couldn't wait to get to work on it. Released this week, broadly delighted in the things that made us unique told through the eyes of a boy who struggled to fit in. "There's so many different beautiful elements in there," Wittingslow said.
"It has all of the feels because the little boy is being criticised for wanting to wear fairy wings; as a parent we can all relate to moments like this." Having moved to the Border 21 years ago to study costume design at Albury TAFE, Wittingslow said she had hedged her artistic bets. Later she doubled down and did multi-media at Wodonga TAFE.
"I studied textiles and multi-media because people said being an artist is not something you should shoot for," she said. "I did all of these other things and then found myself back drawing, anyway. "I guess I found the courage to be myself, which is what the picture book is all about.
" With an extensive illustration repertoire, was Wittingslow's second children's picture book after A Murray Arts grant allowed Wittingslow to work on the book over four months. "It allowed me the time to work on this beautiful passion piece that would not have been possible otherwise," she said. Dr Chan said she was thrilled with the illustrations, which had a particularly Australian flavour.
She said there were some fun references such as the democracy Bunnings sausage. "I've grown up around adoption in my family," she said. "Definitely the one thing I've noticed is that we don't have a lot of literature about it like they do in the US.
"Pinky's illustrations are very Australian down to the democracy sausage!" Dr Chan said international adoption was much more commonplace in the US. She said in Australia it was a lengthy process and adoption stories were less represented in the mainstream media. "Tsehay Wiggle (the Yellow Wiggle) is adopted from Ethiopia, like my character in , and she talks openly about it," Chan said.
"Things are changing but it's still a way off." is available from good bookstores and online: DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis.
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