Little Lon by Andrew Kelly

Little Lon Reviews

• 
  Laura Farrington

  Little Lon is a reference to little Lonsdale street in Melbourne. The story is a recollection of the people that lived on the street in the 1920’s and 1930’s.
  the illustrations are like sketches and watercolours, and very effectively transport the reader back in time. It’s fascinating to hear how multicultural the street was for the era, with no mention of anything hateful. Even though it’s effectively a true story it has been shelved with the picture books, hopefully it will get better circulation this way.
  5 stars
• 
  Teacher Librarian Janet

  This picture book describes the life of Marie, third generation Australian born, raised in Little Lon in the 1920s and 1930s. Students will find the illustrations fascinating and there are lots of opportunity to reflect on how life and Sydney has changed over time.
• 
  Jennie

  Historical fiction picture book set in inner city Melbourne. It focuses on a house built on the 1850s and is informed by recollections of Marie Hayes who grew up in this multicultural, working class and diverse community in the 1920s and 1930s. These were shared in an interview and these records have informed the author in writing this story. Inspiration came during an excavation of the area.
  
  The endpapers present a bird's eye view of the area. The illustrations convey layers of information to reflect family lifestyles, clothing, games & recreation, local industry and small businesses of the time. There is a wealth of information to be gleaned from this delightfully simply told story. e
• 
  Clare

  Very clever use of historical sources to recreate this 'story' of working class life in Melbourne in an earlier post-settlement time. Love the end papers that show the streets before skyscrapers were built.
• 
  Sally

  Beautifully illustrated simple look at one place in Melbourne, Australia back in 1920s.