Australia's Famous Babies visit Gilgandra Library
Published on 24 April 2018
Media Release 23 April 2018
AUSTRALIA’S FAMOUS BABIES VISIT GILGANDRA SHIRE LIBRARY
For immediate release. It’s 100 years since May Gibbs’ adorable characters found their way into the homes and hearts of Australians, and Gilgandra Shire Library is celebrating with a free travelling display featuring May Gibbs’ iconic artwork. The display will be at the Library from Saturday, 5 May to Wednesday, 16 May.
May Gibbs was Australia's first full-time, professionally trained children's book author and illustrator, and the display features reproductions of some of her most beloved characters including the gumnut babies and the brothers Snugglepot and Cuddlepie.
According to State Library of NSW Senior Curator Alison Wishart,
“Generations of Australians have fond memories of growing up with the gumnut babies and their friends, and passed the books they read as children down to their own children.”
The gumnut babies became an instant hit when they first appeared on 5 December 1916 in a booklet published by Angus & Robertson, and the gum-blossom babies soon followed.
The display explores May Gibbs’ early work, the characters of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie, Ragged Blossom and Little Obelia, her process and examples of how the war influenced her work.
“May Gibbs was a keen environmentalist and was also fiercely patriotic”, Ms Wishart said.
“Not many people know that during the First World War she designed a series of postcards and bookmarks featuring her popular characters to send to the soldiers overseas.”
The display will be on show at Gilgandra Library until Wednesday 16th May.
Alison Wishart is available for interviews and can be contacted on 9273 1424 or email alison.wishart@sl.nsw.gov.au.
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Contact: Kathryn Larkin
Community Engagement Officer
Phone: 02 6817 8800
or
Elisabeth McCutcheon
Librarian, Gilgandra Shire Library
Phone: 02 6817 8877 Email: library@gilgandra.nsw.gov.au