Saxby remembers Southall as an innovative author and deems him 'one of the foremost writers of the modern era in Australian children's literature'. A prolific and award-winning author, Southall was also a member of the Order of Australia and the recipient of a number of awards in regards to his contribution to children's literature. Southall's skill, says Saxby, was to present life 'honestly, without sentimentality or intentional bias, without denying man's humanity, or glorifying it'