- Hills End
Infobox Book |
name = Hills End
image_caption = Cover of 1966 edition
author =Ivan Southall
country =Australia
language = English
series =
genre =Children's novel
publisher =Angus & Robertson , Sydney
pub_date = 1962
pages = 174 pagesHills End is a children's book by
Ivan Southall published in 1962 and later made into a television program shown on ABC television onApril 3 ,1989 .Plot Summary
The story follows seven children and their teacher who are trapped inside a
cave while a fierce cyclonic storm destroys the fictional town of Hills End. They face a struggle to survive as well as having to deal with their loss. There is also a mystery surrounding ancientaboriginal art found in the cave.Literary Significance and Reception
Southall had lost his family farm shortly before the publication of "Hills End", but its success established him as a writer both in
Australia and internationally. ["Ivan Southall." Authors and Artists for Young Adults. Vol. 22. Gale Research, 1997. ]John Rowe Thompson wrote of the book "Hills End is almost a perfect novel of its kind.... The rapid character development and self-discovery of the children under stress are notable." ["Ivan Southall." Authors and Artists for Young Adults. Vol. 22. Gale Research, 1997. ]
"Hills End" is regarded as an Australian children's classic. [It was reissued by John Ferguson as part of the "Australian Children's Classics" series in 1981 [http://nla.gov.au/nla.ms-ms5379] ] The book is studied in Australia in the early years of high school both as a work of literature and to start discussion on the impact of
natural disasters . [ [http://scs.une.edu.au/TalentEd/EdSupport/Disasters.htm University of New England Talent Ed] ]Television Adaptation
The mini-series "Hills End" starred Madge Ryan,
John Noble , Maree D'Arcy, Katharine Cullen, Clayton Williamson, Jason Degiorgio, Emma Fowler, Haydon Samuels and Caitlin Procter. It appeared on ABC Television in 1989. [ [http://former.imdb.com/title/tt0097510/ IMDB Hills End] ]References
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
