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Real Guns confronts the topical issues of gun control
and the effects of war—past and present—on returning soldiers
and their families. Jon, like many young boys, is fascinated by guns. He
finds a loaded pistol hidden under his parents’ bed, with nearly tragic
consequences. Patrick Murphy’s stunning illustrations are a perfect complement to Reiter’s timeless story, allowing younger readers to better understand why guns are at once a necessary part of contemporary life but also a danger when they get into the wrong hands. See the review from Education Queensland below for the book's relevance to school curricula. This important book is also available in German and Spanish editions.
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David P Reiter | ||||||||
Dr David P Reiter is an multi-award winning author and publisher living in Brisbane. He has written sixteen fiction, poetry and children’s titles, as well as scripts and multimedia. He’s won the Queensland Premier’s Award and been shortlisted for the Steele Rudd and Adelaide Festival Awards. He’s presented his work to audiences in Australia and overseas and received several grants from the Australia Council and Arts Queensland.
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Patrick J Murphy | ||||||||
Patrick J Murphy B.A. was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, where he still lives and works. He studied art and art history at Belfast Institute and exhibits his contemporary oil paintings internationally. Past exhibitions include the Agora Gallery, New York, U.S.A. | ||||||||
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ISBN 9781876819835 (HB, 36pp); 36pp; |
AU $26 | US$24 | NZ $28 | CA $24 | GBP £15 | €17 | ||
ISBN 9781876819842 (PB, 36pp); 36pp; 216mm x 280mm |
AU $18 | US $18 | NZ $20 | CA $18 |
GBP £9 | €11 | ||
ISBN 9781921479762 (ePub) | AU $8 | US $8 | NZ $10 | CA $8 |
GBP £6 | €7 | ||
Reviews | ||||||||
"Like many young boys, Jon is fascinated by guns. He also listens in to his parents' conversations. He enjoys his toy machine-water pistol, but when he overhears that his father, against his mother's most vehement protests, has a real gun hidden in the house, he is on a quest to find it. And find it he does, cold and black and heavy, and with almost disasterous consequences. Subsequently, Jon learns of his father's traumatic experiences as a soldier, his post-war suffering and his dependence on his weapon for a feeling of security. He also begins to understand the depth of his parents' love for him and the concept of responsible gun handling. "Each year two children’s book authors and illustrators are invited to undertake a short writer’s residency at Bundanon on the Shoalhaven River of the south coast of N.S.W. as part of an education program for schools coinciding with Book Week for Schools. In August of 2007 publisher/writer David Reiter was a guest resident and presented two sessions from his residence to two schools. Prompted by David and with the assistance of the school teachers present, the students displayed a very mature and intelligent level of understanding of the context and message in the story. The students hung onto every word and nuance, exploring the story in incredible depth and with great enthusiasm. It was obvious in their answers to questions raised, that they were able to identify the more subtle clues given in the illustration of the story and clearly were impressed by the integrity of the author’s intention. On speaking to the school staff afterward, their degree of satisfaction with David’s presentation was very high and developed the student’s skills of articulation and reason. I personally feel that the intimate nature of the reading which David gave, also added to the degree of comfort experienced by the students, allowing them to investigate the contentious and challenging nature of the subject matter." Gaillyn Cooper "HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: Woven into this sobering story are the serious issues of gun control, gun safety and the pervasive effects of war on returning soldiers and their families. It has wide curriculum applications in both Studies of Society and Environment (Time, Continuity and Change; Levels 3 – 4) and Health and Physical Education (Promoting the Health of Individuals and Communities; Levels 3 – 4). When Jon discovers a loaded gun under his parents’ bed, he is mesmerised by its cold, hard, metallic reality. The gun, already a source of conflict between his parents, is accidentally fired by Jon, starkly confronting all family members and prompting them to assess their own contribution to the potentially fatal accident. Underlying themes include the adult’s role of responsibility in parent-child relationships, gun usage, post-traumatic stress disorder, war and father-son relationships. The intentionally simplistic and stylised illustrations focus the reader on the issue being explored on each page and simultaneously convey the subtexts of parallel stories. While a loaded a gun left within reach of a child may seem so irresponsible as to undermine the plausibility of the story, it serves to illuminate the seemingly inexplicable behaviours sometimes associated with post-traumatic stress disorder. Rich in its understated complexity, this book offers wide scope for discussion and reflection on the serious and contentious issues raised." - © Education Queensland, Review, January, 2008 |
"Real Guns is a disturbing story about a boy who finds his dad’s army service revolver under his parents’ bed. Based upon a personal experience of the author, the story describes how Jon can’t resist the urge to sneak into his parents’ room and hold the gun. Just once. Of course the deed does not go unnoticed. His mother surprises him as he is posing in front of the mirror with it. The gun goes off, shattering the mirror. Later, when Jon’s dad comes home, they discuss the horrors and atrocities of war and how it has affected Jon’s father. "Real Guns is not an anti gun story but it teases out the idea that guns exist in our society, are in some instances a necessity, but must always be treated in a safe manner. They are real. The text has almost a conversational quality which leads perfectly into being able to open dialogue about guns, their place in society and the sometimes blurred ideas that children have about what is a real gun, a toy gun or a game. After reading Real Guns, author David Reiter speaks with children, not at them, allowing them to discover and articulate their point of view. He offers insight into why he chose the topic of gun safety. A valuable experience for children." "Michael wanted me to let you know that he really liked the book (although it did make him cry a little —I don't think I was supposed to notice that!) – Leanne Hansen, mother of 8-year-old Michael |
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Sample Jon thought about the plastic machine gun his father bought him for his sixth birthday. It was huge and dark green and Jon could fill it up with water and outlast all the other boys on the block. With one squeeze of the trigger he could shoot a stream of water clear across the street. But he knew it wasn't a real gun. Jon's father kept a real gun in the house. Jon knew because he'd heard his father and mother talking about the gun one night when he was supposed to be asleep. Jon lay there in bed thinking about his father's gun. If only I could see it, he thought. Just once. But first he'd have to find it. |