Gum Tree Valley Stories is a bilingual English-Indonesian picture book. It is ideal for language students of Indonesian or English languages, as well as young children between the ages of 3 and 10 years. The book contains three stories about a boy, his family and friends. The stories are about real life, beautifully illustrated by detailed photographs of miniature settings in a miniature town. These illustrations are full of detail, which are perfect for developing language skills.

Yusuf O’Mallee of Gum Tree Valley

The first story is about the changes a pregnancy can bring to a family, many of which are uncomfortable. Even though Yusuf wants a brother, he has to make some sacrifices. The relationships with his Dad and grandparents become even more important. It’s an old story enacted in most families.

Wendy Comes to Play

The second is a modern story. It’s based on the explosion of ADD, ADHD, and autism spectrum in our community. Such a child brings havoc when he or she visits and most families can’t deal with it. Usually the child and the family are not invited again. Sadly the child, and often the family, is ostracized and they become isolated and lonely. Yusuf in his gentle wise way realizes that although he can’t control Wendy, she is good fun. He has no wish to push her away (unlike his dad) and he is willing to find a way to play together.

Brown Teddy

The third story is very familiar with children and their parents. The lost teddy is a nightmare for most parents, as seen in their frantic search. The story has the repetition that young children enjoy and of course it is Yusuf who finally solves the problem. It has a happy, sleepy ending which is great for bedtime reading.

The stories are designed so that a young or inexperienced reader can understand the story by reading only the simple bold type. A more experienced reader can enjoy reading all of the text. Gum Tree Valley is a miniature multicultural town built by the author and it represents the culmination of 35 years of experience in fine miniature making. She made the sets and modeled the characters for the stories. The images are full of fascinating detail and they will delight children and adults alike