The Green Laurel (1963) is a novel for children by Australian author Eleanor Spence; it was illustrated by Geraldine Spence. It won the Children's Book of the Year Award: Older Readers in 1964.Austlit - The Green Laurel by Eleanor Spence
Story outline
The novel centres on a girl whose father runs a fair-ground train at a holiday resort. Illness forces him to give up his job and the family move to a Sydney suburb close to a migrant camp.
Critical reception
Writing in The Canberra Times K. Masterman noted: "The interesting and fascinating story brings out well the character of the two contrasted environments, and without any suggestion of preaching establishes the sound values that are felt without needing to be expressed in this writer's work.""Book of the Year by Eleanor Spence" by K. Masterman, The Canberra Times, 4 July 1964, p11
Awards
1964 – winner Children's Book of the Year Award: Older Readers
See also
1963 in literature
References