Alfred's War - Rachel Bin Salleh

Alfred's War

By: Rachel Bin Salleh, Samantha Fry (Illustrator)

Hardcover | 2 April 2018 | Edition Number 1

At a Glance

Hardcover


RRP $27.99

$23.75

15%OFF

or 4 interest-free payments of $5.94 with

Aims to ship in 5 to 10 business days

Alfred’s War is a powerful story that unmasks the lack of recognition given to Australian Indigenous servicemen who returned from the WWI battlelines.

Alfred was just a young man when he was injured and shipped home from France. Neither honoured as a returned soldier or offered government support afforded to non-Indigenous servicemen, Alfred took up a solitary life walking the back roads – billy tied to his swag, finding work where he could.

Alfred was a forgotten soldier. Although he had fought bravely in the Great War, as an Aboriginal man he wasn’t classed as a citizen of his own country. Yet Alfred always remembered his friends in the trenches and the mateship they had shared. Sometimes he could still hear the never-ending gunfire in his head and the whispers of diggers praying. Every year on ANZAC Day, Alfred walked to the nearest town, where he would quietly stand behind the people gathered and pay homage to his fallen mates.

Rachel Bin Salleh’s poignant narrative opens our hearts to the sacrifice and contribution that Indigenous people have made to Australia’s war efforts, the true extent of which is only now being revealed.
Industry Reviews
"Every year sees a swell of new stories about ANZAC Day and Alfred’s War is my pick of 2018’s crop…It’s a poignant story, one rooted in truth, and a damning critique of Australian history. Rachel Bin Salleh skilfully renders some tough subjects accessible for young readers, without ever ignoring the reality of Alfred’s situation. The beautiful images from first-time illustrator Samantha Fry also help to soften the sharper edges of this tale."
Bronte Coates, Readings

"Poignant and confronting, revealing and decisive, this beautifully rendered story provides a fundamental link for children of any creed and background to appreciate the sacrifices and contributions made by indigenous people in the shaping of our Australian history."
The Boomerang Books Blog

"A beautifully illustrated book...poignant and subtle, its emotional power heightened by its restraint...There is a delicate, dreamlike-quality to the watercolour illustrations by Samantha Fry, an indigenous artist from Darwin."
Rosemary Neill, The Weekend Australian

"In the lead-up to Anzac Day (April 25), our TV screens and news outlets will be covering dawn services and marches so it is crucial children have some understanding of the day’s significance....Alfred’s War is particularly poignant due to its Indigenous lens and a story not often told."
Laura Jones, South Sydney Herald

"The beautifully presented picture book tells younger readers the story of Alfred… Rachel Bin Salleh's sparse words give a dignity to the injustices raised by her story… this book adds a new story to the pantheon of tales children read, allowing them to think about the way some people were treated in the past, while encouraging them to mull over how things could and should have been different."
Fran Knight, ReadPlus

ANZAC History For Young Readers

Anzac Ted : 10th Anniversary Edition - Belinda Landsberry

RRP $29.99

$24.90

17%
OFF
A Fortunate Life : Edition for Young Readers - A. B. Facey
Roly, the ANZAC Donkey - Glyn Harper

RRP $16.99

$15.80

Anzac Girl : The War Diaries of Alice Ross-King - Jess Racklyeft

RRP $24.99

$21.75

13%
OFF
Loyal Creatures - Morris Gleitzman

RRP $19.99

$18.25

The Treasure Box - Margaret Wild

RRP $16.99

$15.80

Light Horse Boy - Dianne Wolfer

RRP $19.99

$18.25

Alfred's War - Rachel Bin Salleh

Hardcover

RRP $27.99

$23.75

15%
OFF
Meet... the ANZACs : Meet... - Claire Saxby

RRP $16.99

$15.80

Memorial : Lothian Australian Favourites - Gary Crew

RRP $16.99

$15.80

The Little Stowaway - Vicki Bennett

RRP $26.99

$21.90

19%
OFF
When the War is Over - Jackie French

RRP $24.99

$21.75

13%
OFF
The Great Gallipoli Escape - Jackie French

RRP $17.99

$16.75

A Rose for the Anzac Boys - Jackie French

RRP $19.99

$18.25

My Grandad Marches on Anzac Day - Catriona Hoy

RRP $16.99

$15.80

Simpson and His Donkey - Mark Greenwood

RRP $18.99

$17.40

Last Man Out : A personal account of the Gallipoli Evacuation - Louise Park
Reflection : Remembering Those Who Serve In War - Rebecka Sharpe Shelberg
The Silver Donkey - Sonya Hartnett

RRP $19.99

$18.25

One Minute's Silence - Michael Camilleri

RRP $19.99

$18.25

The Gallipoli Story - Patrick Carlyon

RRP $18.99

$16.50

13%
OFF

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Stories for Mid to Upper Primary

Free Diving - Lorrae Coffin

Paperback

RRP $19.99

$18.25

Our World : Bardi-Jaawi Life at Ardiyooloon - One Arm Point Remote Community School

RRP $33.00

$23.75

28%
OFF
Living on Stolen Land - Ambelin Kwaymullina

RRP $24.99

$21.75

13%
OFF
Brontide - Sue McPherson

Paperback

RRP $17.99

$16.75

Black Cockatoo : Black Cockatoo - Carl Merrison

RRP $17.99

$16.75

Alfred's War - Rachel Bin Salleh

Hardcover

RRP $27.99

$23.75

15%
OFF
My Girragundji : 20th Anniversary Edition - Meme McDonald
Two Hands Together - Diana Kidd

RRP $17.99

$16.75

Riding The Black Cockatoo - John Danalis

RRP $19.99

$18.25

Deadly D and Justice Jones : Rising Star - Scott Prince
Deadly D and Justice Jones : Making the Team - Scott Prince
Deadly D & Justice Jones : The Search - Scott Prince

RRP $15.99

$15.25

Alfie's Big Wish - David Hardy

RRP $19.99

$18.25

Wraith - Shane Smithers

Paperback

RRP $22.99

$10.00

57%
OFF
The Girl from the Great Sandy Desert - Jukuna Mona Chuguna

RRP $18.99

$10.00

47%
OFF
Who Am I ? : My Australian Story - Anita Heiss

RRP $16.99

$14.25

16%
OFF
The Burnt Stick - Anthony Hill

RRP $16.99

$15.80

Bush and Beyond : Stories from Country - Tjalaminu Mia

RRP $14.99

$14.25

First Nations Stories & Storytelling for Children

Sorry Day - Coral Vass

Paperback

RRP $17.99

$17.25

Brother Moon - Maree McCarthy Yoelu

Hardcover

RRP $27.99

$23.75

15%
OFF
Sorry Sorry - Anne; Pitt, Mardi Kerr

Hardcover

RRP $29.99

$28.50

I Want To Be A Superhero - Breanna Humes

RRP $27.99

$23.75

15%
OFF
Free Diving - Lorrae Coffin

Paperback

RRP $19.99

$18.25

Shake A Leg - Boori Monty Pryor

Hardcover

RRP $24.99

$21.75

13%
OFF
Patterns of Australia - Bronwyn Bancroft

RRP $17.99

$15.40

14%
OFF
On the Way to Nana's - Frances Haji-Ali

RRP $19.99

$18.25

Our World : Bardi-Jaawi Life at Ardiyooloon - One Arm Point Remote Community School

RRP $33.00

$23.75

28%
OFF
Two Mates - Melanie Prewett

Paperback

RRP $19.99

$18.25

Our Island - Alison Lester

Paperback

RRP $16.99

$15.80

Molly the Pirate - Lorraine Teece

RRP $19.99

$18.25

Jandamarra and the Bunuba Resistance : A True Story - Banjo Woorunmurra
Welcome To Country - Aunty Joy Murphy

RRP $26.99

$22.95

15%
OFF
Scaly-Tailed Possum and Echidna - Cathy Goonak

RRP $14.99

$14.25

Fair Skin Black Fella - Renee Fogorty

RRP $19.99

$18.25

The Little Corroboree Frog - Tracey Holton-Ramirez

RRP $17.99

$16.75

Living on Stolen Land - Ambelin Kwaymullina

RRP $24.99

$21.75

13%
OFF
Aunty's Wedding - Miranda Tapsell

RRP $24.99

$21.75

13%
OFF

NAIDOC Week Stories for Children

Sorry Day - Coral Vass

Paperback

RRP $17.99

$17.25

Brother Moon - Maree McCarthy Yoelu

Hardcover

RRP $27.99

$23.75

15%
OFF
Sorry Sorry - Anne; Pitt, Mardi Kerr

Hardcover

RRP $29.99

$28.50

Sea Country : CBCA's Notable Early Childhood Book 2022 - Aunty Patsy Cameron
Somebody's Land : WELCOME TO OUR COUNTRY - Adam Goodes

RRP $24.99

$21.75

13%
OFF
Ceremony : Welcome to Our Country: Book 2 - Ellie Laing

RRP $24.99

$21.75

13%
OFF
I Want To Be A Superhero - Breanna Humes

RRP $27.99

$23.75

15%
OFF
Free Diving - Lorrae Coffin

Paperback

RRP $19.99

$18.25

Shake A Leg - Boori Monty Pryor

Hardcover

RRP $24.99

$21.75

13%
OFF
Why I Love Australia - Bronwyn Bancroft

RRP $17.99

$15.40

14%
OFF
Patterns of Australia - Bronwyn Bancroft

RRP $17.99

$15.40

14%
OFF
The Art in Country : A Treasury for Children - Bronwyn Bancroft

RRP $29.99

$24.90

17%
OFF
On the Way to Nana's - Frances Haji-Ali

RRP $19.99

$18.25

The River : CBCA's Notable Early Childhood Book 2022 - Sally Morgan
The Emu Who Ran Through the Sky : Tales from the Bush Mob: Book 2 - Helen Milroy
Our World : Bardi-Jaawi Life at Ardiyooloon - One Arm Point Remote Community School

RRP $33.00

$23.75

28%
OFF
Two Mates - Melanie Prewett

Paperback

RRP $19.99

$18.25

Our Island - Alison Lester

Paperback

RRP $16.99

$15.80

Molly the Pirate - Lorraine Teece

RRP $19.99

$18.25

Jandamarra and the Bunuba Resistance : A True Story - Banjo Woorunmurra

Books to Commemorate Anzac Day

Roly, the ANZAC Donkey - Glyn Harper

RRP $16.99

$15.80

Anzac Girl : The War Diaries of Alice Ross-King - Jess Racklyeft

RRP $24.99

$21.75

13%
OFF
Loyal Creatures - Morris Gleitzman

RRP $19.99

$18.25

Charlie's Swim - Edith Wright

RRP $27.99

$23.75

15%
OFF
Light Horse Boy - Dianne Wolfer

RRP $19.99

$18.25

Alfred's War - Rachel Bin Salleh

Hardcover

RRP $27.99

$23.75

15%
OFF
War Horse - Michael Morpurgo

Hardcover

RRP $24.99

$21.75

13%
OFF
Meet... the ANZACs : Meet... - Claire Saxby

RRP $16.99

$15.80

Memorial : Lothian Australian Favourites - Gary Crew

RRP $16.99

$15.80

A Rose for the Anzac Boys - Jackie French

RRP $19.99

$18.25

My Grandad Marches on Anzac Day - Catriona Hoy

RRP $16.99

$15.80

Simpson and His Donkey - Mark Greenwood

RRP $18.99

$17.40

This Old Thing - Cassandra Webb

RRP $26.99

$20.75

23%
OFF
The Horses Didn't Come Home - Pamela Rushby

RRP $17.99

$16.75

In Flanders Field - Norman Jorgensen

RRP $16.99

$15.80

The Last Light Horse - Dianne Wolfer

$41.80

Lighthouse Girl - Dianne Wolfer

RRP $19.99

$18.25

Interned - Pamela Rushby

Paperback

RRP $17.99

$16.75