TEACHERS NOTES

The Secret Life of Maeve Lee Kwong

Children of the Wind: Book 4

The Secret Life of Maeve Lee Kwong is frequently featured on international reading lists advocating cross-cultural literature and fiction with biracial protagonists, including Star Reads (UK – an initiative of the National Literacy Trust).

The novel was highly recommended by the School Library Journal (USA) and the Asia Education Foundation recommend it as a text for Year 7 & 8.

Troy Martin and Amelia McBride teacher’s notes explore the themes of friendship, family relationships, and coping with tragedy.

Material Downloads

The Secret Life of MLK_TeachersNotes

Asian-Australian Children’s Literature & Publishing Project

Linked Resources

The Asian-Australian Children’s Literature & Publishing Project, Queensland University of Technology, featured interviews with authors writing on Asian-Australian themes, compiled by Michelle Dicinoski.. A pdf of the interview can be downloaded from the link above.

Dr Charlotte Beyer of the University of Gloucestershire wrote a fascinating essay on transnationalism in children’s fiction, focusing on The Children of the Wind series. Dr Beyer’s essay is entitled Hungry Ghosts and is published in Internationalism in Children’s Fiction.

Behind The Book: The Secret Life of Maeve Lee Kwong

Featured

India Dark, The Four Seasons of Lucy McKenzie, The Lilliputians, Vulture’s Gate, Zarconi’s Magic Flying Fish, Bridie’s Fire, Becoming Billy Dare, A Prayer for Blue Delaney, The Secret Life of Maeve Lee Kwong, Walking Home with Marie-Claire, Children of the Wind Series, Strangers on Country, Kids Who Did, Topsy-turvy World, A Penny to Remember, The Red Camel, The Clever Cats Book Club, When Billy was a Dog, Eat the Sky

Watch this space

India Dark, The Four Seasons of Lucy McKenzie, The Lilliputians, Vulture’s Gate, Zarconi’s Magic Flying Fish, Bridie’s Fire, Becoming Billy Dare, A Prayer for Blue Delaney, The Secret Life of Maeve Lee Kwong, Walking Home with Marie-Claire, Children of the Wind Series, Strangers on Country, Kids Who Did, Topsy-turvy World, A Penny to Remember, The Red Camel, The Clever Cats Book Club, When Billy was a Dog, Eat the Sky

Teachers on The Secret Life of Maeve Lee Kwong in the Classroom

The Secret Life of Maeve Lee Kwong immediately interested me as an ESL Teacher in two secondary schools, one a boys’ school, the other a girls’ school. As it turned out, the novel is very suited to the ESL student as it deals with cultural difference and the search for identity that confronts most students at some time.

Mary Kent, Laurence’s College, QLD

This is a thoroughly enjoyable book with interesting characters behaving in realistic ways. This title will be popular with junior high girls though there are enough male characters to keep the boys interested should this be used as a class novel. Issues covered include; ethnicity, what is family, friendship, cultural traditions, dancing, relationships.

Lorene Furmage