Wendy Harmer has grown tired of self-obsessed, egotistical fairies doing nothing more than buying frocks, adjusting their tiaras and preparing for a ball. In fact, she describes the sorts of fairies in stories written for children today as ‘really wet’.
So, she’s taken it upon herself in her series of children’s books to re-invent fairies—making them forceful, moral and responsible. She describes her main character, Pearlie the park fairy, as ‘CEO of the park’.
As one of Australia’s best-known comedians, Wendy is taking a moral line at a time when some say there is a shortfall of downright decent characters in children’s books. Some children’s books have characters with the sort of ‘attitude’ that vents angst, rebellion and anti-social behavior, but offers little in the way of constructive, respectful behaviour.
Wendy decided it was time to go back to sending messages to children through what she describes as ‘motherhood’ statements. She believes an essential element of Australian traditional values are moral statements such as these, and that they should be embraced as the basis of a healthy society.
There are intriguing complexities to Wendy. She is not Catholic—but her husband is—and describes herself as neither agnostic nor atheist but ‘a Darwinian evolutionist, humanist and dynamic moralist’. She has a sense of moral beliefs not based on any set of religious tenets, and tries to be non-judgmental and allow her morality to evolve.
She adds that because of this a lot of people would accuse her of fence-sitting but she sees it as having an open mind, especially on issues where she may have an initial reaction of distaste.
‘It means I am not paralysed by certainty. I can always be persuaded’, she concludes.
Wendy praises Australians for being similarly open minded and ‘able to act on what they know’. In old-fashioned speak that would probably be defined as being ‘charitable’, embracing differences as part of God’s mysterious creation. She sees Australia as a liberated nation, in possession of the valuable qualities of multiculturalism and pluralism. She says these social assets allow individuals to come together and make good decisions.
She has two children, Marley and Maeve. In addition to the inspiration they receive from their mother, Wendy says her children get a lot of joy out of religious instruction and she hopes for a Catholic education for her son, who is nearing school age.
After reading her latest children’s book Pearlie and the Big Doll to my own children, I asked them (without prompting) to tell me the message it contained. They decided almost immediately that it was about taking care of each other and being responsible for people who are lonely.
Wendy’s
Pearlie series is not ‘girlie’, it’s about a fairy with
a social conscience. It doesn’t promote a specific creed; rather
it’s about treating people with old-fashioned virtues such as common
courtesy and respect. Wendy and Pearlie have a lot in common.
Pearlie and the Big Doll written by Wendy Harmer, illustrated by Mike Zarb, published by Random House. RRP $12.95.
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