My second book grew out of Letters from Robin, and my research at the NCACL. The PDF here is free to download (but must not be distributed). A limited number of print copies are available – contact jonappletonsbooks[at]gmail.com for details.
As you probably know, Emily Rodda is one of Australia’s most acclaimed writers for children, winner of many literary awards. She has also become a kind of unofficial ambassador for the promotion of the joys and advantages of reading. She has an international reputation, especially for her multi million selling Deltora Quest series.
Beyond the books, there were crossover points with Robin Klein’s life, and with my own too. As publisher at Angus & Robertson in the 1980s, Emily published Robin’s book The Enemies. As editor of The Australian Women’s Weekly in the early 90s, I looked up to Emily (or Jennifer Rowe to use her real name) as a fellow editor when I was producing Rippa Reading. Both Emily and Robin wrote across the age groups and won acclaim with children and adults alike.
So I began reading and rereading Emily’s books – those under the Rodda name and as Jennifer Rowe – and writing about them, to create a portrait of her life from childhood onwards and career and how one has influenced the other. I’ve explored questions of identity, duty and creativity, themes that recur in her stories, and included some publishing history too.
Above: manuscript pages from Emily Rodda’s archives at the NCACL, Rodda at home in November 2022, archive copies of Rodda’s books in translation at the NCACL library.
When I researched and wrote my memoir of my long correspondence with Robin Klein, the world was in lockdown. I happily reread her books at home in London, but when it came to research, I emailed Belle Alderman for help. She kindly scanned and emailed me copies of Robin’s letters to me from the NCACL archives. I couldn’t have written Letters from Robin without her help.
This time, I knew I could do my research in person. And I couldn’t wait to get back to Australia. I went to interview her at home in the Blue Mountains. And I went to the NCACL for two days to immerse myself in the archives she donated to the collection. In dozens of boxes were letters from publishers and readers, full manuscripts, notes for stories, marketing material like stickers and bookmarks, rough illustrations and glossy cover proofs. Each book has its own folder (or several folders!) where you can see its evolution from the initial idea to the final typeset pages. I was also able to inspect the various editions of her books in the library as well as translations copies from all over the world.
Out of the Box: the Art and Life of Emily Rodda is the book that resulted from my research, published to celebrate 40 years since her first book, Something Special. It’s also a tribute to the NCACL, in celebration of its 50th anniversary. Two anniversaries to celebrate at once. Two formidable contributions to Australian children’s literature.
Out of the Box is published to celebrate 40 years since Emily’s first book, Something Special, was published. But it’s also a tribute to the NCACL, in celebration of its 50th anniversary. Two anniversaries to celebrate at once. Two formidable contributions to Australian children’s literature. Please join me in saying: Hip hip hooray!
Letters from Robin: A Voyage Around My Author 