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'This thought-provoking story is about a girl who is a little unusual. Mary has the urge to stand on her head. Her parents try everything to get her to live a normal life standing up. They send her to a doctor who tries to get her to stand upright by placing her feet in a locked box and tying helium balloons to her hands. The doctor suggests to the parents that they take her out to the desert and leave her there until she learns to stay on her feet. After a while her parents go out to get her and bring her back to attend school. Because she doesn’t obey the rule of ‘never stand on your head’ she is expelled. Luckily Hugh the camel is waiting outside and he takes her back to the desert where she makes new friends, a large lizard Mary called Mister and a charming marsupial mouse named Edwina-Marie. Mary’s life feels complete with her new soul mates.' (Publication summary)
Notes
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A story in verse form.
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Included in the 2006 White Ravens Catalogue compiled by the International Youth Library in Munich, Germany. Easily understandable.
Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of
Works about this Work
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The Children's Book Council of Australia Judges' Report 2006
2006
single work
column
— Appears in: Reading Time : The Journal of the Children's Book Council of Australia , August vol. 50 no. 3 2006; (p. 8-14) -
Topsy-Turvy Worlds
2006
single work
review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 28-29 January 2006; (p. 22)
— Review of The True Story of Mary Who Wanted to Stand on Her Head 2005 single work children's fiction ; Hugo the Lifesaving Sailor 2005 single work picture book -
Around the World in 80 Books : Oceania
2005-2006
single work
review
— Appears in: The Bulletin , 20 December-10 January vol. 123 no. 6501 2005-2006; (p. 158)
— Review of The True Story of Mary Who Wanted to Stand on Her Head 2005 single work children's fiction -
Untitled
2005-2006
single work
review
— Appears in: Australian Bookseller & Publisher , December-January vol. 85 no. 6 2005-2006; (p. 31)
— Review of The True Story of Mary Who Wanted to Stand on Her Head 2005 single work children's fiction
-
Untitled
2005-2006
single work
review
— Appears in: Australian Bookseller & Publisher , December-January vol. 85 no. 6 2005-2006; (p. 31)
— Review of The True Story of Mary Who Wanted to Stand on Her Head 2005 single work children's fiction -
Around the World in 80 Books : Oceania
2005-2006
single work
review
— Appears in: The Bulletin , 20 December-10 January vol. 123 no. 6501 2005-2006; (p. 158)
— Review of The True Story of Mary Who Wanted to Stand on Her Head 2005 single work children's fiction -
Topsy-Turvy Worlds
2006
single work
review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 28-29 January 2006; (p. 22)
— Review of The True Story of Mary Who Wanted to Stand on Her Head 2005 single work children's fiction ; Hugo the Lifesaving Sailor 2005 single work picture book -
The Children's Book Council of Australia Judges' Report 2006
2006
single work
column
— Appears in: Reading Time : The Journal of the Children's Book Council of Australia , August vol. 50 no. 3 2006; (p. 8-14)
Awards
- 2006 nominated Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards — Best Language Development Book for Upper Primary Children (2005-2013)
- 2006 shortlisted CBCA Book of the Year Awards — Book of the Year: Younger Readers
- 2006 joint winner Aurealis Awards for Excellence in Australian Speculative Fiction — Children's Division — Short Fiction