Books by Liz Wilks

Lisbeth (Liz) Wilks works as Administration Officer at the Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, La Trobe University. Before coming to the OTARC Liz worked and volunteered for many years in the disability community. Liz has an adult son with autism, an adult son with Down syndrome and an adult daughter who has grown up surrounded by the issues of disability. Liz has worked as an illustrator and graphic designer since 1969. In 2000 she wrote her first novel (Junior Fiction) exploring the challenges of being a sibling of a brother and a sister with disabilities. She has also authored, edited or illustrated a number of books for young readers (8-12 years).

 Title: Sara Webb: Disaster Area

Author: Liz Wilks

Publisher: Hachette Children’s Books

RRP: $14.95

ISBN: 0 7344 0940 0

“Whoever said that names can never hurt you wasn’t on the receiving end of Bronte’s tongue! It’s bad enough when they pick on me, but when they include Max and Dee ... that’s not fair.”

      

Sara’s family is unusual to say the least - they’re also confusing and really embarrassing.

Sara’s story is inspiring and seriously funny.

Using humour to tell a sister’s story

There are a number of children’s picture books that explain disability to young children and there are plenty of books covering parents’ experiences, but there is very little from a teenage sibling’s point of view, looking at life with intellectual disability in the family.

Sara Webb: Disaster Area uses a fictional family in a variety of humourous situations to help siblings know that they share these crazy experiences and inform other teens of what could be going on in the home lives of their classmates and friends.

The story is fast-paced and entertaining while the message is powerful, the facts are accurate and the situations are believable.

Sara is a gutsy young heroine who faces her problems and comes to an acceptance that her siblings are loved and valued members of her family.

The themes of the novel are disability, sibling issues, friendship, bullying, sexuality, relationships, self-esteem and sport.

This book is aimed at the late-primary/early-secondary age groups.

Borrow a copy from your library or order your own copy.

Books are only available through the author at wilksfamily5@yahoo.com.au or phone 0425 862 821.

Other children’s books that Liz Wilks has authored and/or illustrated

The Brave Kids Series

Books for children 8 - 12 years

Easy-to-read inspirational books about ordinary children who displayed extraordinary bravery to save someone else’s life. Based on citations from the Royal Humane Society of Australasia awards.

Faction: The best of both reading worlds ... A gripping story PLUS heaps of fascinating facts set out to attract young readers.

Crocodile Attack: Peta saves her friend from the jaws of a large crocodile.

ISBN 0-957842-24-4

Rogue Animals: Alfie fights off a wild boar that is savaging his dad.

ISBN 09578422-7-9

Surf Rescue: Melissa helps rescue three friends on a raft at sea.

ISBN 09578422-5-2

Shark Alert: John rescues a friend from a shark attack.

ISBN 0-9578422-8-7

Fire! Fire!: Michael saves Kit from a house fire.

ISBN 0-957842-29-5

Bushland Blazing: Clinton helps fight a bushfire that threatens his family’s house and farm. (SOLD OUT)

ISBN 978-0-9757350-3-9

Bibile: The true story of a Baby Orphan Elephant                 

A truly remarkable story unfolds in Sri Lanka when Bibile is lost from his herd. His sad story takes him to a loving new home, on to adventure and honour, and to extraordinary friendship.

You will also read the stories of other rescued baby elephants and the life they now lead.

ISBN 0-9578422-8-7

Chicken 2 go! (SOLD OUT)

A pocket sized book of chicken jokes, cartoons and funny stories. Cackle your way through this EGG-citing collection.

ISBN 0-9578422-8-7

As a special offer Liz can supply these books at reduced prices if you send your order to her mentioning “BLOG SPECIAL OFFER”.

This offer is only available to orders directly through Liz Wilks. 

This offer is NOT available in bookstores.

BLOG SPECIAL OFFERS                          

Sara Webb: Disaster Area - $14.95 RRP - $10.00 BLOG SPECIAL

Brave Kids Series - $12.95 each  RRP -  $7.00 each BLOG SPECIAL

Brave Kids Full Series (excluding Bushland Blazing)  -  $25.00 BLOG SPECIAL

Bibile: The True Story of a Baby Orphan Elephant  - $12.95 RRP - $7.00 BLOG SPECIAL

Chicken 2 Go (limited stocks) SOLD OUT

If ordering within Australia: Please include $2 per item (Maximum $6 for multiple books) for Postage and Handling. For international orders please contact Liz first to arrange payment and P&H charges.

30% of all sales in this offer will be donated to the Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre.

Contact Liz in the comments below to order your selection.

Dont forget to give contact details.

Don’t forget to mention “BLOG special offer”.

The Dieter's Lament

Here's a short poem I wrote some years ago that still seems valid today.

There really is too much of me,

There are pieces there that should not be.

There are rolls and folds and hanging breasts.

I certainly fail those old ‘pinch tests’.

There are wrinkles, freckles and laughter lines.

I can’t deny those aging signs -

With bits that wobble, and parts that sag.

I’m turning into a Hessian bag.

Where’s the girl that once was me?

Unzip this sack and set her free!

                                   

By Liz Wilks (1998)

I'm happy for this poem to be reproduced as long as you acknowledge the source.

Our trip on The P. S. Murray Princess – January 2012

 It was a mild afternoon when we arrived at the dock at Mannum, SA. The car was quickly unpacked and bags dragged to the gangway where crew were allocated to take the bags to our cabins.

 

We went through the regular check in process and enjoyed a welcoming cool drink before going to our cabins to commence our seven-day cruise. Duane and Miles had a twin cabin on the Starboard side and Liz and Roy shared a double cabin on the Port side. There was not a vast amount of room in our cabins but enough for our needs, including a small ensuite with toilet and shower.

On the first evening we enjoyed a welcoming dinner and met our fellow passengers. Our table included Paul and Annette, Jamie and Margaret and Wendy and Susan.

Our first night was rather cramped, as we are not used to a double bed (having a Queen size bed at home). The paddle steamer moored at the riverbank during the night and there are certainly no rough seas in the river.

The Proud Mary - a smaller Paddle steamer passing by.

When we stopped in Murray Bridge I was able to buy a neck support cushion as I found the pillows a bit difficult to wrangle.

We enjoyed a short excursion in a small boat to have a close up view of the cliff faces on the riverbank. We saw the little mud nests made by the swallows and the crevices that provide homes for the cockatoos, whistling kites and peregrine falcons. We also saw a variety of water birds, spiders, skinks and flora of the area.

An approaching rain storm

Nests

There were a few organised activities on the Murray Princess. These include some trivia sessions, bingo, a race activity, a talk from a local historian and a fancy dress night.

There was also a side trip to the Barossa Valley, where Duane and Miles learned how to taste wines. I am sure Miles will go back to the soft drink but not so sure about Duane.

While at the Barossa we saw the Herzig Family tree. This old hollow tree was actually lived in by a pioneer family, who even had two babies in the tree house during their tenure.

On another day we sailed up river to negotiate Lock One. This was memorable as the weir next to the Lock was a favoured fishing spot for hundreds of cormorants and pelicans. We spent the night moored at Blanchetown and visited another small local winery within walking distance from our mooring. The next morning we again negotiated Lock One, but this time from the upper side.

It was sad to see the amount of carp in the river. This introduced species competes with the native fish and muddies the water making it difficult for the native water plants also. Duane did his bit to remove carp from the river. 

On a positive note the wetlands along the sides of the river were full and healthy. Although we were surrounded by still water we barely saw or heard a mosquito. This was explained in that the wetlands were healthy and therefore the wildlife eat most of the mosquito larvae. We didn’t notice many flies either, but it was cool and windy.

The boat moved very slowly so there was plenty of time to sit and watch to world go by or talk or read a book. There was no television, and very little computer or telephone access. Miles enjoyed the fitness equipment of the sundeck and we all took the chance to stretch our legs whenever we tied up to the bank.

A cormorant awaiting a fish dinner

A nest of native bees

A canoe tree

On our second last day we enjoyed a visit to a shearing shed, a barbeque tea ashore and a nocturnal tour of the farm spotlighting local wildlife, including an albino kangaroo. We also saw red and grey kangaroos, a hairy nosed wombat, a tawny frogmouth, and hundreds of glowing spider eyes in the darkness. On the following morning we enjoyed a walk on shore to see the animal tracks that had been on the bank overnight as well as investigating some of the local bush tomatoes and other flora.

On our final full day aboard we sailed downriver to an archaeological dig, a site where aboriginal habitation has occurred for millions of years. There 23 feet depth of campfire ashes had been sieved to reveal the diet and the changes in practise of the local indigenous people over the centuries. It was interesting to see the rock carvings and hear the local guides interpretation of these markings. Apparently there used to be dolphins in the river (nearly 200 km up river). 

Aboriginal carvings

Our Captain also told us that there had been a fossil uncovered near Blanchetown recently that was a skull of a creature, like a crocodile, that would have been bigger than a blue whale! Amazing! There are fossils in the cliff face all long the river, with shells and sea anemones.

Cockatoos in the willows

After lunch we enjoyed wet and wild rides on the boat's tender.

Liz about to get very wet

The P S Murray Princess viewed from the tender

The tender about to cross the wake of the paddleboat

We arrived back in Mannum exactly one week after boarding the P S Murray Princess.

We enjoyed a long drive home stopping overnight in Horsham.

A peaceful and restful holiday.