SYNOPSIS
Ella's Handbag, carries more than a purse and keys...
On the surface, this picture book is a simple story that reflects the quiet crusade of a little Tom boy - who happens to love handbags. She spends her time getting dirty and filling her handbag with all sorts of messy things. To her mother's horror, Ella prefers to carry her granddad's false teeth and left-over spaghetti, to muffins and maths books.
Below the surface, this award winning picture book underpins struggling learners and their search for self efficacy.
Ella's Handbag is full of symbols; from the handbag that is a symbol of memory, to the orchid that symbolises fatherhood (in China). Ella's 'important things' symbolise her own dreams, traits and needs while the 'important things' for others, symbolise mainstream demands and expectations. The mud that Ella and her handbag are often covered in symbolises the perception of society - not mainstream therefore imperfect. Even the front cover contains a symbol - where the lower case 'e' is scored and replaced with an upper case 'E' - which echoes the book's philosophy, "You don't have to be perfect to be perfect".
Ella's Handbag has been distributed to most Catholic and Independent Primary Schools in Victoria and copies are available to borrow at Sydenham, Caroline Springs and St Albans libraries.
On the surface, this picture book is a simple story that reflects the quiet crusade of a little Tom boy - who happens to love handbags. She spends her time getting dirty and filling her handbag with all sorts of messy things. To her mother's horror, Ella prefers to carry her granddad's false teeth and left-over spaghetti, to muffins and maths books.
Below the surface, this award winning picture book underpins struggling learners and their search for self efficacy.
Ella's Handbag is full of symbols; from the handbag that is a symbol of memory, to the orchid that symbolises fatherhood (in China). Ella's 'important things' symbolise her own dreams, traits and needs while the 'important things' for others, symbolise mainstream demands and expectations. The mud that Ella and her handbag are often covered in symbolises the perception of society - not mainstream therefore imperfect. Even the front cover contains a symbol - where the lower case 'e' is scored and replaced with an upper case 'E' - which echoes the book's philosophy, "You don't have to be perfect to be perfect".
Ella's Handbag has been distributed to most Catholic and Independent Primary Schools in Victoria and copies are available to borrow at Sydenham, Caroline Springs and St Albans libraries.
Ella’s Handbag won the 2009 Jan Bavinton Memorial Award - a $3000 grant - through the Victoria Independent Education Union.