Five Times Dizzy

Teacher Resource

Publisher's synopsis

Together Five Times Dizzy and Dancing in the Anzac Deli tell the tale of Mareka and the Wilson kids, who live in an ordinary inner-city neighborhood but find themselves caught up in a haunted house and the mysterious Munga, it sometimes seems as if Smith Street is the most exciting place in Australia.

Awards

Winner 1983 New South Wales Premier’s Literary Awards Special Children’s Book Award
Highly Commended 1983 CBCA Children’s Book of the Year: Older Readers
Honorary Diploma 1983 International Board on Books for Young People
Winner 1987 AWGIE Awards for Best Adaptation, Children’s Television Drama (Five Times Dizzy television mini–series)
Honorary Diploma 1985 International Board on Books for Young People

Historical context when the title was published

Five Times Dizzy was first published in 1982, and would have been considered a contemporary novel at that time: drawing on the inner-city life of a recently migrated family from Greece. It was possibly one of the first children’s books that dealt with multiculturalism. Today this title can be explored in a historical context, as well as a cultural context, with young readers.

Other Recommended Titles

Looking for Alibrandi

My Place (Nadia Wheatley)

The Slap

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Nadia Wheatley

Nadia Wheatley began writing full-time in 1976, after completing postgraduate work in Australian history. She writes non-fiction and fiction, for both adults and children. Her picture book My Place, illustrated by Donna Rawlins, was the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year for Younger Readers in 1988 and has recently been produced as a 26-part television series. Seven other books by Nadia Wheatley have been honoured in the CBCA awards, including Luke’s Way of Looking.

Photo courtesy of Walker Books Australia