From fighting for the right to vote to nursing conscripted young men, Rose’s life changes forever when World War I arrives in the peaceful English village of Harefield. With an influx of wounded Australian soldiers, the villagers rally around to provide care and comfort, despite suffering their own casualties and grieving for their own losses. Training to nurse Australian soldiers like Jim the Light Horse boy is hard work, but with it comes much for Rose to treasure – in the gaining of a vocation, in confidence won and in finding new love in a new land.
Dianne Wolfer is the acclaimed author of many books for teenagers and young readers spanning multiple genres. Her book Lighthouse Girl served as inspiration for PIAFs The Giants and features in events commemorating the centenary of the departure of the first AIF from Albany. One of Diannes picture books, Photographs in the Mud (set along the Kokoda Track), is used as an international peace reference and has been published in Japanese; it is also a recommended resource for the National History Curriculum. Her young adult title Choices has been translated into Polish.
Brian Simmonds was born in Subiaco and worked for many years as a lithographer in the printing industry while studying art in the evenings. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Art from Curtin University and worked for The Sunday Times, New Idea and an advertising agency before he became a professional artist in 1990. He has exhibited his work many times and won numerous prizes for drawing, oil painting and mixed media works. His work can be found in many private and public collections in Australia.
