Ships in the Field

Susanne Gervay & Anna Pignataro, Ford Street Publishing

Ships in the Field is a beautiful and moving picture book that speaks into the very nature of Australian society — a society of immigrants — by following one family. Forced to flee to another country, the story talks about some of the struggles many migrant people face, including language, from which the title comes.

Author Susanne Gervay and illustrator Anna Pignataro are part of Australia’s immigrant and refugee story.  Susanne’s parents were post-war Hungarian refugees. Anna’s parents fled from post-war Italy.

The story addresses the very real issues for children and adults in our world with deep compassion and gentle humour.  It is a story of war, migration, loss and healing.

Karyl Davison