Otago tale brings local star to the fore

Josephine off the Rails, by Diane Miller, illustrated by Sheryl MacLeod (Lifelogs, RRP $20):

Dunedin-based children’s author Diane Miller has used the Josephine, the 21-tonne steam locomotive that has been on display at the Otago Settlers Museum for years, as the inspiration for this story.

Josephine gets to realise a long-held fantasy, and escapes her museum display. She Heads off down the tracks in the hops of helping a little dog and his lost family but the pair end up having an adventure on the historic Taieri Gorge railway, then “off the rails” on the Otago Central Rail Trail.

This is a lovely little story, beautifully illustrated, that is made all the more special by the fact that you can take your children to visit the star of the show at the museum.

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