Ivan Southall

Ivan Southall ( born June 8, 1921 in Melbourne, † 15 November 2008) was an Australian YA author.

Life

Southall also wrote short stories, essays, and nonfiction. In all, he wrote about 40 books for young people that have been translated into more than 20 languages. 11 of his books have been published in German, mostly translated by Hans -Georg Noack.

Southalls feature is the absolute seriousness that marked both his style and the plot and the subjects of his paintings. The children of his books do not laugh and can be neither childlike nor childish, because the author subjecting them to tests that require the utmost in courage and steadfastness, which can provide a child.

In bushfires, the children and the elderly residents must fend off a small settlement of a bush fire, because the able-bodied adults in the erroneous assumption that the own site was not in danger, provide assistance elsewhere. In survival, some children have to make an emergency landing on a plane and survive in the wilderness after the pilot suffered a heart attack. In The Forbidden Tree, a disabled boy climbs against the wishes of his mother behütenden on a tree. Day of Heroes is about a boy who looks forward precisely on ANZAC Day a fight with two powerful bullies, which he can not escape.

However, his books always end on an optimistic note.

Southall died in November 2008 from cancer.

Works

Awards

• Australian Children's Book Award (multiple)
• Carnegie Medal (1971 for Josh )
• Phoenix Award (2003 for The long night watch)
• Australian Dromkeen Medal (2003 for lifetime )