There once was a young girl called Gladys. She wasn’t like most other New Zealand girls. She preferred to fix engines than master needlepoint and other pursuits expected of young ladies. She then met someone who loved cars just like she did, and she soon learnt to drive.

Despite being a woman and superiors telling her she couldn’t, her driving skills took her across the world, into danger and the First World War. She saved many lives and was awarded an M.B.E (Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) by the King.

But there was sadness in her life too, and she nearly falls victim to the Spanish Flu that took so many lives after the war.

As always with Jenny Cooper’s illustrations, her rich, full colour spreads are to be savoured as we learn about one of New Zealand’s war heroes.

More information about Gladys is shared at the back of the book, which would be useful as a class topic study or personal interests.

Author – Glyn Harper

Illustrator – Jenny Cooper

Sophisticated Picture Book