Three Dresses

Three Dresses

by Wanda Gibson

Published by University of Queensland Press (UQP)
ISBN 9780702266355

This is more than a picture book. It is moving story as Wanda Gibson tells her story growing up as a child at Hope Vale Mission in Far North Queensland and what she and her family did when they went on their annual two week holidays to the beach.

A story that is sure to make younger readers appreciate their own way of life and enjoy reading what Wanda, her parents and siblings did on their fun-filled holidays at the beach.

Wanda's rich and thoughtful illustrations help to enhance her story about the three dresses and three pairs of undies given to her by the Church. Throughout the story you can tell she treasured those dresses, one to wash, one to wear and one spare and took great care of them.

It also introduces readers to a very different way of life, with no bags to pack their clothes in, the utensils and other.things they would need for the precious two week holidays. Find out how they travelled, no cars or planes and feel the excitement when Wanda saw the sea. You will also how the built their own accommodation and what they ate and how it was prepared.

On the last page you will read more of Wanda and her family's story and her love of the arts.

It is quite an adventure with happy memories and a break from Wanda and her siblings life at school and work on the farm after school.

The Author

Wanda Gibson is a Nukgal Wurra woman of the Guugu Yimithirr people (on her mum’s side) and lives in Hope Vale on the Cape York Peninsula, Queensland. Her dad is a Yuuethawarra man and his country is around Cape Melville. Both of Wanda’s parents were Stolen Generation and were brought to Cape Bedford Mission when they were ten or twelve.

Wanda is a master weaver – she weaves baskets, birds and fish from dried grass. She is also a painter and completed a Diploma of Visual Arts at Cairns TAFE in 2014. Wanda has five kids, eleven grandkids and five great-grandkids.

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