“The Complete Adventures of Blinky Bill” by Dorothy Wall Book Review

“When the political, religious, social, or personal risks are high, when we are standing close to the metaphoric fire, the use of animals has long provided intellectual and psychological distance and allowed us to critically explore that which we would not be comfortable exploring directly” (Burke and Copenhaver 207). Anthropomorphism is a long-standing and powerful literary tool used in children’s literature that attributes human characteristics to non-human entities. In The Complete Adventures of Blinky Bill, Dorothy Wall introduces anthropomorphism through the depiction of various Australian bush animals, which is an Australian term used to describe a sparsely-inhabited rural region. Through a collection of three distinct stories, this novel follows the complete childhood life adventures of Blinky Bill, a boisterous, mischievous, and curious koala that has been an iconic fictional character for Australian children for many years now. By following the adventures of Blinky Bill, I believe children of all ages can expect to learn many great life lessons while at the same time being entertained by the fun-loving and adventurous nature of Blinky Bill.

The first story, Blinky Bill, is an introduction to Blinky Bill and his mischievous and adventurous nature. We first gain an understanding about the birth of Blinky Bill and how he got his name. In the second chapter within this story, “A Tragedy”, we learn about Blinky’s first adventure in his quest to find a new home. Although you might be fooled at this point in the story by his calm nature and innocence, this is where we get a first glimpse at his deceiving nature when he states, “I’ll be a good cub” (Wall 34). The next three chapters within the story give us a description of the young Blinky Bill and his boisterous tendencies to go on adventures and be rebellious. The mischievous koala ignores everyone, and the repercussions are evident.

The second story, Blinky Bill Grows Up, continues with the life of Blinky Bill as he goes on more adventures and faces more uncertainty. It starts with a story about Blinky Bill running away once again, describing each of his daring experiences along the way, and his return home which ultimately leads to Blinky and his mother facing the possibility and fear of being captured. We gain a glimpse of Blinky Bill’s rebellious behavior in the first chapter with this story titled “Blinky Runs Away”, when he states, “I tell you, I’m not going to school, now or never. I’m going to run away…” (Wall 113). His friend warns him to not go because that is where the “men” are, and he responds, “And adventures, too” (Wall 113). This sets the tone for the rest of the story as the adventurous koala does what he wants. Once again, Blinky ignores all advice, and the repercussions are even more apparent.

Just when we thought Blinky Bill couldn’t get any worse, we enter the third story, Blinky Bill and Nutsy, where Bill has supposedly found his girlfriend, a little girl koala named Nutsy. Through multiple chapters, Wall provides a captivating journey of the many more adventures of Blinky Bill from a daring escape to reconciliation in the Australian bush. After what all Blinky has put his mother through, we see her frustration towards the end of this story, ‘“I wouldn’t be surprised!” Mrs. Koala replied. “In fact nothing you did would surprise me”’ (Wall 311). As you can see, Blinky has developed a reputation of being bold that no one is surprised by his boisterous and spontaneous actions. Once again here we see the audacity of Blinky and the repercussions of his mischievousness.

Blinky Bill is one of the most notable and well-loved characters in Australian history. If you’re looking for children’s book that is fun-loving in nature, has meaningful messages, and can resonate with Australian culture, this is the book for you. I believe children of all ages can benefit from these stories because each one teaches them important life lessons such as morality and teamwork. By witnessing the actions of Blinky Bill and the consequences he faces, children will learn lessons about right and wrong. On the contrary, children will also learn lessons about perseverance and courage. Blinky Bill demonstrates bravery through his audacious adventures.

Overall, I thought this book was very enjoyable to read due to Wall’s ability to convey meaningful messages in an entertaining and unique way. I liked Wall’s use of anthropomorphic elements to help describe the adventures of Blinky Bill. It causes readers to think theoretically and use their imagination to draw meaning from each adventure that Blinky goes on. This technique plays a crucial role because it adds humor and a childish touch to the didactic messages being delivered. It is a way for authors to capture the attention of children and equip them with lifelong lessons and ideas. Wall also drew detailed illustrations herself and placed them throughout her novel to strike the attention of her audience. Through the anthropomorphism and detailed illustrations, Wall delivers a captivating story that you don’t want to miss.

References

• Burke, Carolyn, and Joby Copenhaver. “Animals as People in Children’s Literature”. National

Council of Teachers of English. 2004: 205-213. 12 September. 2018.

• Wall, Dorothy. The Complete Adventures of Blinky Bill. 1978.