Stories from Magic Beach The Book of the Robert Connolly Film

by Lester, Alison; Connolly, Robert

• ISBN13: 9781761181559
• ISBN10: 1761181556
• eBook ISBN(s): 9781761505997
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2026-03-10
• Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Summary

Inspired by Alison Lester's much-loved classic, this is the book of the film by Paper Planes creator Robert Connolly, featuring the work of 11 world-class animators plus live action stills, with illustrations and verses from the original book.

Ten children find themselves on a Magic Beach of their imagination. They explore caves, build giant sandcastles, poke around rock pools and converse with sea animals. They dive with horses in the waves and play with magical underwater creatures. Sandcastles are built and destroyed in terrible wars. Pirates smuggle treasure into caves. And Dreamtime serpents fly through the sky and shed their scales. The dreams of these children are limitless, and the magic of the beach will be in their hearts forever.

Alison Lester's Magic Beach has been in print for over 35 years and is now brought to life by 11 world-class animators: Emma Kelly, Susan Danta, Lee Whitmore, Anthony Lucas, Kathy Sarpi, Eddie White, Simon Rippingale, Pierce Davison, Marieka Walsh, Susie Shapones and Jake Duczynski. Featuring an incredible range of artwork in tribute to an enduring Australian classic, Stories from Magic Beach is a perfect keepsake.

Author Biography

Alison Lester grew up on a farm near Magic Beach and first rode a horse as a baby in her father's arms. Her picture books mix imaginary worlds with everyday life, encouraging children to believe in themselves and celebrate the differences that make them special. In 2011, Alison was appointed Australia's first Children's Laureate with Boori Monty Pryor, a position they shared for two years. She is currently an ambassador for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation.

Robert Connolly is one of Australia's most acclaimed and best-known filmmakers with an international career spanning 30 years. His films include the box office hit Paper Planes with Sam Worthington, Balibo starring Oscar Isaac and Anthony LaPaglia and the compendium feature film The Turning with Cate Blanchett and Rose Byrne. Most recently, Robert wrote and directed The Dry and its sequel Force of Nature based on Jane Harper's bestseller, starring Eric Bana. In television, he directed the International Emmy-nominated The Slap and Barracuda for NBC Universal. As a producer and executive producer, Robert's credits include The Boys, Romulus My Father, The Warriors, Gallipoli and Chasing Asylum.