Notes from the Sick Room is an investigation into the connections between physical illness and creativity. Although there are a number of books investigating mental illness and creativity, there are very few that concentrate on physical illness - cancer, HIV, tuberculosis and disabilities caused by accidents. Incapacity provides time for contemplation and creativity yet pain and discomfort detract from inspiration. Serious illness confronts the individual with the reality of death, the complacency of being is jolted by the shock of non-being. Does one record these incidences or ignore "art" in order to survive?

With a balance of fiction and non-fiction text types and genres, Bookwise is carefully graded and organised into five cross-curricular strands, encouraging links to other subjects. The full-colour readers are accompanied by Teacher's Guides and Resource Sheets to help you get the most out of your Guided Reading and Writing sessions.