Jim’s Book of Rhymes

In time for Christmas! Jim’s book of rhymes on Aussie bush animals

It’s 60 years since veteran rural writer and Wood Central senior editor walked into the offices of Australia’s Country Life newspaper.

That was August 1956 and two years later as a cadet reporter he was writing a weekly column for children before being sent out on the road to cover stock sales and country shows.

“This was just such a wonderful time,” Jim said. “I made friends with scores of country children who wrote regularly and had their letters published each week.
He still has most of those columns pasted in a frayed book of clippings that also contain a lot of articles he wrote over his 30 years with Country Life.

In the first volume you will meet, among others, Katie Kangaroo, Percy Platypus, Elmer Emu and Bertie the Bandicoot, with Volume 2 featuring Kevin Kookaburra, Wally Wallaby, Christopher Crocodile, Winston Wombat and Percy Prawn among others.

And there’s an illustrated encyclopedia on Aussie bush animals including a glossary of facts about their origins, habits and habitats in each volume.