Friday 23 December 2011

The Christmas Kangaroo


I found this delightful book on a trip to Australia in March 2011. If you are ever in Adelaide, I recommend you pay a visit to Michael Treloar Antiquarian Booksellers on North Terrace, where this book came from.  I hope to visit Australia again in a year or two and this bookshop is already on my ‘must visit’ list.

The Christmas Kangaroo was written by Ian Mudie in 1946, with black-and-white illustrations by Trevor Clare. Published by Frank Cork and printed by The Advertising Printing Office in Adelaide

This might be a common book in Australia, but as I hadn't seen it before I knew it would be coming home in my suitcase along with my other ‘finds’ including a 1st Australian edition of The Gremlins by Roald Dahl and a lovely copy of Colonel Crock by Edward Andrews.

The Christmas Kangaroo is a truly enchanting story about Mirram the Kangaroo and her son Joey, who meet a harassed Father Christmas, behind schedule, and with his sleigh still laden with undelivered toys. After much persuasion by Father Christmas the sympathetic Mirram agrees to help, and with Joey on her back and her pouch laden with an incredible number of toys she sets out.


Her feet have been polished by Father Christmas with his special lightening, non-slip, quick-travel, fast-as-fast, long-leap, racing oil, and her first tentative hop takes her soaring over the tall trees and out across the Gibber Plain.

Gibber Plains, Australia.


In the excitement, the toys are spilled, and valuable time is lost collecting them, but eventually Mirram sets out again, encouraged by the kindly advice of a talkative Willy Wagtail and the wise Mr. Possum. Faster and faster she goes, so fast that Joey thinks his ears will be doubled inside out by the wind. Faster and faster, for Mirram knows that she will have to hurry if she is going to fill every sock and stocking and pillow case by Christmas morning, and hang toys and presents on all the Christmas trees in Australia.

However, Mirram is happy, for she knows that when all the boys and girls wake up, they will see all the presents Father Christmas sent them - the only thing they won't know is that they were put there by Mirram, the Christmas Kangaroo.


I hope you enjoy reading about the adventures of Mirram and Joey.  I think this book weaves a very special kind of Christmas magic. 

Thank you to everyone who takes the time to visit and comment.  I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and a very happy New Year. This vintage Christmas card is especially for you, love Barbara.


Hearty Wishes for Christmas

17 comments:

  1. Loved the story on THE CHRISTMAS KANGAROO, and thanks for the lovely card, Barbara!

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  2. This post is so exciting for me because I live in Adelaide and I have been to that very bookshop you mention! What a small world we live in... Great post Barbara!

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  3. barbaraannefisher23 December 2011 at 10:58

    Hello Megan I had no idea you lived in Adelaide! Our son and his family live in there too – hence our visits. We have two lovely grandsons a baby granddaughter and another grandchild due next year, so Adelaide is like a second home to us. Glad you liked the post. Have you seen a copy of this book before?

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  4. barbaraannefisher23 December 2011 at 10:59

    Hello Claudine, glad you liked the Christmas Kangaroo and the card. Have a lovely Christmas time.

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  5. I would love to vistit Australia and hope to make it there some day! I have a friend from Australia who shared some holiday books with me recently (I read them with her). They were so different from the ones I am used to and I really enjoyed them. The Christmas Kangaroo sounds like a great find- along with the other books you picked up. Wow! You must be excited. I love the postcard you ended with!

    Merry Christmas to you, too!
    ~Jess
    http://thesecretdmsfilesoffairdaymorrow.blogspot.com/

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  6. barbaraannefisher24 December 2011 at 10:29

    Hi Jess, I can thoroughly recommend a trip to Australia, it’s a beautiful country. Have a lovely Christmas, Barbara.

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  7. Thanks for pointing out this delightful book Barbara! I love the hearty wishes as well. Merry Christmas to you and yours. I look forward to your posts in the coming year.

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  8. This story sounds lovely, Barbara. Gotta love Australia! My favourite place to visit (and hopefully one day I'll live there). Hope you've had a very Merry Christmas! :)

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  9. barbaraannefisher26 December 2011 at 22:15

    Thank you Darlene, I hope you are also enjoying a very Merry Christmas.

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  10. barbaraannefisher26 December 2011 at 22:18

    I hope your dream comes true and you do get to live in Australia one day. Merry Christmas.

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  11. What a find! I love it. I hope when you do get to go there again, you find many more choice books like this. Thank you. I love visiting your site. Happy holidays and happy new year to you.

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  12. barbaraannefisher28 December 2011 at 10:23

    Thank you, I enjoy your visits and comments too. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas time, Happy New Year.

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  13. I'm so sorry about this late reply Barbara! That's awesome that your son lives here. You must love coming to visit your family. And in answer to your question on my blog earlier, yes that was Henley Square in Adelaide. We probably see your son kite surfing all the time! Henley Beach is beautiful and I love going there on hot summer days and nights. Such a small world... it amazes me sometimes!

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  14. Oh and in answer to your question, I haven't heard of this book before but I'm going to look into it. Sounds like a wonderful read!

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  15. barbaraannefisher3 January 2012 at 12:59

    Not late at all, thanks for your reply. Henly Beach was one of the first places our son and his wife showed us when we visited Australia - we will never forget how beautiful it was. We also love Glenleg and can imagine living there and walking along that lovely stretch of coast with a little dog. It’s good to dream.

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  16. This is delightful Barbara, thanks for sharing :D)

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    1. My pleasure Sue, thanks for taking the time to read it.

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Barbara xx