Böcker av Ann Chatham

In the ancient Aboriginal Dreaming stories all living things had a human spirit and could communicate with each other, interact with their Mother Earth and Father sky, their creator. There were rules set by the father and creator so that the children of Mother earth would live in peace. However. When rules are not adhered to conflict inevitably happens. This particular encounter is based on a real Dreaming story told by the old people in far western New South Wales. It shines a light on the reason why this particular group of Aboriginal people will not go out in the dark on their own.Woven into this story is a question of what happens when the old and the new Australian cultures meet. Escape Into Dreaming is an attempt to tell the story to children in the hope that they will better understand the spirituality of our first nation's people.

Daddy Long Legs is a story about a greedy little spider who learned a valuable and painful lesson. He learned to think before he acted. Daddy saw what he thought was a very big blowfly that he could eat but that was a mistake. He didn't understand what had happened and why he was in so much pain. 'Daddy' was determined not to make the same mistake again - his life depended on him being able to eat blowflies. Daddy went in search for a way to solve his problem. After a long and scary journey 'Daddy' discovered the difference between what he could have and what was not good for hom. Daddy Long Legs has a lesson for us too: In our real world spiders are very important creatures that help keep our environment free from insects that spread disease.

'The Kangaroo Carer' is about the true story of a woman who rescues orphan joeys from the pouches of their dead mothers. The mothers were often killed on the road or shot by farmers protecting their crops. Many Australian towns have a person or group of people who rescue native animals that have been injured in all manner of ways. This story is about a carer who cared for kangaroo babies over many years. They remembered a place that was safe during the recent bush fires and went there. By extension this is a story about the importance of all livings things . This is a story about us as the stewards of the earth and how seriously many humans take their stewardship.

"Permission To Speak" is a collection of little images, thoughts and insights into the very heart of this poet. The poems between the covers of this book tell the stories of pain and suffering, justice and compassion as well as curiosity and joy. This collection of poems record a relationship between people, other creatures and living things. Some poems explore how an object such as a bell, a stone or a torn piece of fabric can poke the spirit and its story must be told. There is humour in many of these pieces of work. There is tragedy and suffering too. Some of these poems have a spiritual insight; a conversation with God, if you will that troubles my sleep until I write it down.I hope you find , in "Permission To Speak" a vision of the great and the small. These poems comment on the heart that makes the world beat.