This is a story for 3 – 6 year olds, hopefully to be illustrated and published as a picture book.
While a publisher will employ an illustrator to bring the story to life if they accept it, photos of the creatures are provided in this version to allow readers to see their real size and characteristics. This is a private page for your eyes only, as some of the images may be copyright.
The story has been written close to the same rhythm as the words of the traditional Australian song ‘Click Go The Shears’
Out on the board the old shearer stands,
Grasping his shears in his long, honey hands,
Fixed is his gaze on a bare-bellied “Joe,”
Glory if he gets her, won’t he make the “ringer” go.
Chorus: Click go the shears boys, click, click, click,
Wide is his blow and his hands move quick,
The ringer looks around and is beaten by a blow,
And curses the old snagger with the blue-bellied “Joe.”
In the middle of the floor, in his cane-bottomed chair
Is the boss of the board, with eyes everywhere;
Notes well each fleece as it comes to the screen
Paying strict attention if it’s taken off clean.
… … …
Click Go The Cameras
by Peter E Taylor
Out on the boardwalk, a shy goanna stands
Clawing out termites with his long bony hands.
His gaze is now fixed on the tents down the track:
It’s time to climb a gum-tree and then hide around the back.
Illustrated: Nature reserve broadwalk
Goannas are large lizards uo to 2 metres (6 feet) long
Click go the cameras, click, click, click;
Zooming in and zooming out, their hands move quick.
The campers search for wildlife at this grand Australian spot,
Breaking flowering plants to take the finest photo shot.
In the middle of the marsh, a tall brolga sings,
Dancing for joy and flapping both her wings,
Notes well the visitors with cameras on their chest
She then flies off in haste to find a private place to nest.
Brolgas are large crane-like wetland birds noted for their jumping and dancing display
Click go the cameras, click, click, click;
Zooming in and zooming out, their hands move quick.
“We have to take a photo—watch its wings expand.
Such a lovely waterbird, the largest in the land!”
“Let’s work together,” says a big red-kangaroo.
“Gather round, my bush-mates, let’s plan what we should do.
They’re noisy and they’re nosy and there’s never any peace.
They’re littering our land as well and that has got to cease.”
Red kangaroos can grow to 2metres (6 feet) tall
Click go the cameras, click, click, click;
Zooming in and zooming out, their hands move quick.
“What a lot of animals!” the folk exclaim aloud.
“How wonderful—let’s photograph Australia’s cutest crowd.”
“When it’s very dark, we can give them all a fright;
Make them all go home before they set the bush alight.”
Possum tries first and he runs across the tent,
Then boo-book owl toots spooky hoots until his breath is spent.
A possum is about the size of a cat. Its young develop in a pouch
Boobook Owl
Click go the cameras, click, click, click;
Zooming in and zooming out, their hands move quick.
“What a perfect picture, here’s an owl and possum, too;
You’ll never get a snap like that by going to the zoo!”
Spiny echidna gathers up a clutch of ants:
Adds them to their trousers so they’ll curse their itchy pants.
Tree-frog starts his croaking and’s as rasping as can be,
“They will get no sleep tonight and hate it, wait and see.”
Click go the cameras, click, click, click;
Zooming in and zooming out, their hands move quick.
“An echidna such as this is scarcely ever seen,
And take a tree-frog photo: he’s a gorgeous shade of green!”
Goanna opens ice-chests and he shares the food around.
The campers all awaken when they hear the scratching sound.
When they look outside there’s a snake wrapped round a rope
And a crocodile that’s smiling as it slinks along the slope.
Click go the tent poles, click, click, click.
Zooming here and zooming there, everybody’s quick.
“Croc is getting closer—there’s no time to grab the lot!”
The people drive away to find a safer camping spot.
Illustrated: In their haste to depart, the people leave a camera behind.
Click goes the camera, click, click, click.
Fox will join the photo if his legs move quick.
“Wave your paws or flap; be as silly as you please;
Perch on possum’s tail or sit on kangaroo’s big knees.”
Illustrated: Animals take a ‘team photo’ of themselves. Fox takes the photo on self-timer and rushes to get into the picture—maybe only part of him is visible in the result or maybe an illustrator can dream up a whole album of funny photos or other alternatives.
This story features most of the creatures that appeared in my book ‘Once a Creepy Crocodile’ that was shorlisted for the Australian Speech Pathologists’ Book of the Year Award, 2105. True information about them are provided on my ‘Australian Wildlife – Facts’ page.