AustLit

While hunting for the origin of cobbler's pegs (the spiny seed head of the weed, Bidens pilosa), a child finds wonderful places filled with local flora and fauna.

This poem relates the joys of playing on a swing, the imagination of flying, and the views across the countryside.

The happy little fairy cobbler taps away at the tiny shoes of the wallaby, snail and pixie.

A child ponders the reasons for punishment when he feels he was merely being curious about the workings of a clock.

A child discovers an topsy-turvy, duplicated world while looking into water.

Young Jane is fed up with accusations that she is fat and lazy, and slow like a tortoise. She is also very sad because she feels she tries very hard.

A four year old sits very still and quietly, watching the sand crabs marching on the beach in rows.

When there's noone to play with and nothing to do, a child walks among the daisies with no specific destination in mind.

Katie deems God unfair for making her hair straight and dull, while others have luxurious curls; though she concedes that she should be grateful that God gave her hair at all!

Bugs and spiders and frogs and insects are not easy to like!

A child is determined to be 'a natural-born, mischievous, impossible imp' rather than '[c]lean, boring and cheerful, good-tempered and kind'.

This work consists of 7 sections of verse, each titled by a day of the week. On Monday, Judy doesn't like Mondays because she can't do the things she wants to do. On Tuesdays, she visits the cook, reads and watches Hop Lee the kind 'chinaman' who brings the fruit and vegetables. Wednesday is the day that Miss Grimwade comes to the house to give Judy lessons in geography, history and 'sums'. On Thursday, Judy gets dressed up and goes visiting with her mother. Friday is shopping day with Mummy. Judy's favourite day is Saturday, when Priscilla comes to play and they play at being pirates, then Judy helps her father in the garden. On Sundays, the family goes to church and Judy observes the congregation, thinks about her 'wickedness' and resolves to do better in the following week.

A young girl has a penny to spend in the candy shop. She delights in looking at all of the different types of candy, before finally choosing an all-day sucker.

A child describes her aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents, understanding their differences, but also their connections in belonging to family.

At night, there are many things to fear. Furry rugs might turn into bears; the coat behind the door may be a leering dwarf; strange voices sound in the darkness. Yet in the morning sun, it is difficult to believe them true.

In the night, the wind takes on a human form, impishly threatening the sleepy child.

A young child loves to be outdoors with 'daddy's big umbrella' when the rain dances and sings.

A child kneels before the window contemplating if children knelt like this before the star of Bethlehem when the Saviour Christ was born.