Shannon Melville – illustratör

Mavis is a feistyten-year-old who lives in rural Australia with her mum, dad and sister,Doreen. It’s World War Two,and Darwin is bombed. Life as she knows it changes.Her dad and UncleJohn dig a trench in the backyard, and school lessons are replaced with airraid drills.  Mavis is keen tohelp the war effort at home, and an opportunity arises when a soldier comesto school seekingvolunteers. Too young to help on her own, she convinces her older sister,Doreen, to join herin plane spotting.  Every Saturday, theyclimb the stairs of the town clock tower, armed with binoculars andpictures of bombers,to record the times and direction of aircraft. Planes come and go, butthey are localfriendlies.  One Saturday, Mavismust work alone. She is nervous but determined to carry out her dutyfor the war effortat home. When an enemy planecomes into view, she is more excited than frightened! She rings it inand becomes a hero. That is until it’srevealed the aircraft is a captured enemy plane that she just happened to seewhen the local airforce was testing it.  Mavis feelsdeflated, but her spirits are boosted when Mum makes dessert in her honour andDad lets her play inthe trench.  Mavis never seesanother enemy plane, but after the war when she hears a rumble come overthe hills of home,her eyes still search the skies.