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y separately published work icon The True Story of Mary Who Wanted to Stand on Her Head single work   children's fiction   children's  
Issue Details: First known date: 2005... 2005 The True Story of Mary Who Wanted to Stand on Her Head
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

'This thought-provoking story is about a girl who is a little unusual. Mary has the urge to stand on her head. Her parents try everything to get her to live a normal life standing up. They send her to a doctor who tries to get her to stand upright by placing her feet in a locked box and tying helium balloons to her hands. The doctor suggests to the parents that they take her out to the desert and leave her there until she learns to stay on her feet. After a while her parents go out to get her and bring her back to attend school. Because she doesn’t obey the rule of ‘never stand on your head’ she is expelled. Luckily Hugh the camel is waiting outside and he takes her back to the desert where she makes new friends, a large lizard Mary called Mister and a charming marsupial mouse named Edwina-Marie. Mary’s life feels complete with her new soul mates.' (Publication summary)

Teaching Resources

Teaching Resources

This work has teaching resources.

Teacher’s notes from publisher’s website.

Notes

  • A story in verse form.
  • Included in the 2006 White Ravens Catalogue compiled by the International Youth Library in Munich, Germany. Easily understandable.

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

    • Crows Nest, North Sydney - Lane Cove area, Sydney Northern Suburbs, Sydney, New South Wales,: Allen and Unwin , 2005 .
      image of person or book cover 8083477104839004966.jpg
      Extent: 64p.
      Description: illus.
      ISBN: 1741147166

Works about this Work

The Children's Book Council of Australia Judges' Report 2006 2006 single work column
— Appears in: Reading Time : The Journal of the Children's Book Council of Australia , August vol. 50 no. 3 2006; (p. 8-14)
Topsy-Turvy Worlds Meg Sorensen , 2006 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 28-29 January 2006; (p. 22)

— Review of The True Story of Mary Who Wanted to Stand on Her Head Jane Godwin , 2005 single work children's fiction ; Hugo the Lifesaving Sailor Lorette Broekstra , 2005 single work picture book
Around the World in 80 Books : Oceania Gail MacCallum , 2005-2006 single work review
— Appears in: The Bulletin , 20 December-10 January vol. 123 no. 6501 2005-2006; (p. 158)

— Review of The True Story of Mary Who Wanted to Stand on Her Head Jane Godwin , 2005 single work children's fiction
Untitled Erin O'Brien , 2005-2006 single work review
— Appears in: Australian Bookseller & Publisher , December-January vol. 85 no. 6 2005-2006; (p. 31)

— Review of The True Story of Mary Who Wanted to Stand on Her Head Jane Godwin , 2005 single work children's fiction
Untitled Erin O'Brien , 2005-2006 single work review
— Appears in: Australian Bookseller & Publisher , December-January vol. 85 no. 6 2005-2006; (p. 31)

— Review of The True Story of Mary Who Wanted to Stand on Her Head Jane Godwin , 2005 single work children's fiction
Around the World in 80 Books : Oceania Gail MacCallum , 2005-2006 single work review
— Appears in: The Bulletin , 20 December-10 January vol. 123 no. 6501 2005-2006; (p. 158)

— Review of The True Story of Mary Who Wanted to Stand on Her Head Jane Godwin , 2005 single work children's fiction
Topsy-Turvy Worlds Meg Sorensen , 2006 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 28-29 January 2006; (p. 22)

— Review of The True Story of Mary Who Wanted to Stand on Her Head Jane Godwin , 2005 single work children's fiction ; Hugo the Lifesaving Sailor Lorette Broekstra , 2005 single work picture book
The Children's Book Council of Australia Judges' Report 2006 2006 single work column
— Appears in: Reading Time : The Journal of the Children's Book Council of Australia , August vol. 50 no. 3 2006; (p. 8-14)
Last amended 5 Sep 2019 10:20:02
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