Until recently I knew very little about the town of Villers-Bretonneux. All I knew was that there was a village in France whose citizens continued to keep a promise, made almost a century ago, to never forget the Australians who saved them in World War I… It has become very clear to me that more Australians should know about this place, more about what happened there in World War I and the legacy and strength of friendship that remains.

This is a touching story of Derek Guille’s experience when he went to visit Villers-Bretonneux with the Brass section of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. The students at the Victoria school in this town recognise and celebrate what the Australians did for their town in World War I. They also extended the gift of friendship and $20,000 when the Black Saturday bush fires in Victoria burned the school in Strathewen.

This is a wonderful story with engaging illustrations that honours the relationship between Australia and France, which began with an act of bravery in World War I.

Guille has also had this book translated in order to allow equitable access to this text for readers from both parts of the relationship. This is a beautiful text that would assist in understanding a part of Australian/French history, as well as in early French Language studies.

-Maddy

ISBN: 9780987313966
ISBN-10: 0987313967
Price: $19.95
Audience: Children 
Format: Hardcover 
Language: English 
Published: 1st April 2013