MSL Vocabulary and Comprehension Unit
The Happiness Box: A Wartime Book of Hope by Mark Greenwood & Andrew McClean
Lesson 1
Vocabulary
Connecting to prior knowledge
Comprehension
Connecting to prior knowledge
Discuss to ensure that students
understand the statement, the
meaning of “inspirational” and
the concept of a national
treasure. Explore the
morphemes in “inspirational”
(“inspire” as root word, suffix
“tion” as the “state of being” and
suffix “al” as “having the
character of”). Discuss the
origins of the root word “inspire”
(Latin, meaning to “inflame”).
Begin by showing students the cover
without comment, except to read the
title and author. Students should notice
the crowd outside the huge gate.
Prompt them to look closely, as you
want them to notice who is in the
crowd, their attire and any other items,
as well as the soldiers and guns.
Have students form groups of
four to share stories about
something they think is
inspirational. Provide some ideas
to get started, such as a student
or ex-student from the school, a
family member or someone local
who has done something that
might be considered
inspirational. Record ideas.
Now shift the conversation to the
idea of a national treasure. Are
students aware of anything or
anyone that has been identified
Now, in pairs, invite students to talk
about what they have seen and heard.
Combine pairs to form groups of four
and share further. Come back as a
whole class and invite comments and
wonderings. If students have questions,
record these to return to later. Focus
the conversation on the last sentence in
the blurb: “the inspirational true story of
a book that became a National
Treasure.”
Book Analysis
Exploring the text in context of our community,
school and “me”
Ask if any students know of a family member who
served in World War II. In 2020 there were only
12,000 living returned veterans from WWII, all in
their nineties. It may be possible to identify the
family of someone local around Anzac Day, when
tributes are made to those that served in the wars
(a local RSL may be able to assist). Check if there
is a local memorial to those that served in the war;
if it is nearby you may be able to do a class visit.
Australia’s involvement in WWII was announced by
Prime Minister Robert Gordon Menzies on 3
September 1939. Initially the Royal Australian Navy
(RAN) joined the war in June 1940, the Army
headed to the Mediterranean and North Africa in
1941, and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF)
played a part in the Battle of Britain. The war lasted
from 1939 to 1945 and almost one million
Australian men and women served during that time.
It is well known that Australians served overseas in
places like Germany and Italy in Europe, the
Mediterranean and North Africa, but many also
served in Asia. It was always thought that Britain
would protect Singapore, but in the end it was the
Australians who played a significant role in
Singapore and Malaya. In February 1941 nearly
as a national treasure? It might
be a person, a place such as the
Great Barrier Reef or a thing.
National living treasures can be
found here but it is more likely
that students will suggest
someone local. Record ideas.
Move around the groups, identify
one or two ideas from each, and
invite those groups to share their
ideas with the whole class.
6,000 Australian troops arrived in Singapore on the
Queen Mary, which had been transformed into a
troop ship the year before in the Singapore Naval
Base.
There were two major battles: one between 18–23
January 1942, over just six days, and one between
1–15 February 1942, over fourteen days. The latter
was the Battle of Singapore referred to in the
opening pages of The Happiness Box. Many
Australians and other members of the Allied forces
lost their lives in these two battles.
On 15 February the Allied forces surrendered to the
Japanese. Many soldiers and civilians then became
prisoners of war and were sent to Changi Prison,
which is the setting for this book. There were many
English boys and girls among the civilians held in
Changi and nearby prisons.
By the end of the war 39,000 Australians had lost
their lives. On 17 February all of the 50,000 British,
Australian and local volunteer forces were moved
by route march to Changi. The Japanese agreed to
some trucks for the wounded and to carry the ten
days’ worth of rations each man was ordered to
take. Many who were held captive by the Germans
in Europe came home, but of those captured by the
Japanese in places like Changi, about 36% died in
captivity due to torture and conditions.
Now turn to the pages at the back of the book and
read the information about Sir David Griffin CBE
(1915–2004) and Captain Herbert Leslie Greener
(1900–1974). Also read the section at the bottom of
the page about Changi. Return to the cover where
students can see the soldiers and civilians,
including women and children, under guard about
to enter the camp. Take a moment for students to
understand the number given – 20,000 Allied
troops and civilians were imprisoned in Changi
Prison and the Selarang Barracks. You might like
to do that by working out how many schools your
size that would be.
Finally, locate Singapore on a map in relation to
Australia and Great Britain. Singapore was a British
territory and Australia was defending the island for
Britain. Note the distance to Australia. Tell students
that it was critical to protect Singapore to prevent
the Japanese coming south. After surrender, the
Japanese did come south. Four days after
surrender, on 19 February 1942, the first Japanese
bombs were dropped on Darwin. This resulted in
243 people killed, nearly 400 wounded, 20 aircraft
destroyed, 8 ships sunk and military facilities
destroyed. The air attacks continued until
November 1943, over which time Darwin was
bombed 64 times. Bombs were also dropped on
Townsville, Katherine, Wyndham, Derby, Broome
and Port Headland. Additionally, on 31 March 1942
three Japanese submarines attacked Sydney
Harbour, killing 21 sailors. The Japanese attacks
continued until June 1943, claiming a total of 503
lives.
Even snippets of this information provide a sombre
introduction to this book, so remind students of the
title: it is a book of hope. Brainstorm what that
means.
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

Lesson 2
What type of things might the prisoners have
hoped for?
What type of things do we all hope for?
When is it important to have hope?
RICH ASSESSMENT TASK
Questions
Responding to the text
The Allied forces were made up
of men and women from
Australia, India, Britain and
China; Singapore was, and still
is, a very multicultural society.
Where is the story taking place?
Read The Happiness Box to the class. After reading,
ask students to take a moment to reflect before
writing a response in their reading journals. Then,
in small groups, invite them to share their
responses. As a whole class, record some of the
responses from those who want to share.
Now read the section on the last page about the
original book that was buried in the camp. Display
the images of the book available from the State
Library of NSW.
Before moving on, show students the last double
page spread in The Happiness Box and revisit the
ideas from the earlier discussion about national
treasures. Why might this small book be a national
treasure?
Return to the full title – The Happiness Box: A
Wartime Book of Hope. Ask students what the
opposite of “hope” might be. Record the answers;
suggest that “despair” or “fear” may be possibilities.
Ask students to look again at the
cover. Explain that the
assessment task is to choose
someone from the mass of
people outside the jail: a man, a
woman or a child. All these
people were in Singapore at the
time of surrender and
immediately became prisoners of
war.
The task is to write in character
as the person chosen – for
example, as the lady in the
yellow hat carrying a small
suitcase. Tell students that they
are to think about the vocabulary
What event is happening in the story?
What forms of transportation can you
see in the picture?
Which country’s flag is depicted in the
image?
Why does Griff cry out “Keep your chin
up?”
Organise students into groups of four or five with a
copy of the book. Ask half of the groups to note all
the places in the book where “despair” might have
been present, recording any words that support
their choice. This activity focuses on the words of
they use. They can draw from
the discussions thus far.
Once students have chosen who
they will be, invite them to
wander the room. On your
signal, they will stop and face
another student. You ask: “Who
are you?” Each student responds
in character, speaking to their
partner. On your call, they will
wander again and stop on a
signal to find another partner.
You ask: “How did you get
here?”
Continue the process with the
questions: “What have you
brought with you?” and “What
are you thinking?”
Now, working individually,
students will write a short piece
in character. Prompt with the
following questions:






Who are you?
How are you feeling
standing in the line?
What are you thinking?
What have you brought
with you?
How did you get here?
Are you alone? If not, who
are you with?
the text. Ask the remaining groups do the same
thing for “hope”.
Despair
Hope
Pages 1 and 2
Page 10
He felt a jolt with
each bursting
shell.
In stories he found escape
from the miserable conditions
Pages 3 and 4
Page 11
soldiers
swarmed the
streets waving
bayonets
we could make presents (for
children)
Pages 5 and 6
Page 14
a grim fortress
appeared before
them
Page by page, Griff wove into
words the tale of Winston the
lizard, Martin the monkey and
Wobbly the frog.
Display the responses. Ask students if they can find
an example where both despair and hope might
have been present together.
(ACELT1603)



Who was left behind?
What do you think might
happen?
What do you hope for?
If time allows, read The Treasure Box by Margaret
Wild and Freya Blackwood, or watch a reading
on YouTube. Extend the previous conversation
about despair and hope – both are also evident in
this book. Allow time for students to compare and
contrast the way these elements are included.
After the set time, students will
form pairs to read their writing to
a partner. After a brief discussion
of both pieces, they will return to
their own writing to edit for
meaning, add detail, etc. While
this is a short piece of writing, it
is important that the writer shows
they have thought about the
person and that the feelings and
descriptions are consistent.
Lesson 3
Vocabulary
Jolt
Bayonets
Prodded
Guide the students to see that although these two
stories are set in different parts of the world, they
have one common element. Ask what that might
be. They may suggest that the answer is the value
of a book.
(ACELT1602)
Questions
Responding to the text
Where did the men rest?
Read The Treasure Box by Margaret Wild and Freya
Blackwood, or watch a reading on YouTube.
Extend the previous conversation about despair
and hope – both are also evident in this book. Allow
time for students to compare and contrast the way
these elements are included.
Why did disease flourish and medical
supplies dwindle?
How did they boost morale?
What does ‘interned’ mean. List 3
places you could be interned.
What do they mean when using the
phrase “In stories he found an escape
from the miserable conditions”?
Where do you sometimes escape to?
Guide the students to see that although these two
stories are set in different parts of the world, they
have one common element. Ask what that might
be. They may suggest that the answer is the value
of a book.
(ACELT1602)
Lesson 4
Vocabulary
Questions
Allied
Interned/Compound
Flourished/Dwindled
Who was going to inspect the gifts?
Who suggested they make presents for
the children?
Pronouns
The following activities reinforce
how texts are made cohesive
through pronoun references.
Griff scoured the barracks for
spare paper. He couldn’t make
wooden toys, but he could
write a story.
Working as a class, identify the
pronouns. Once students confirm
that “he” replaces the name
“Griff”, read the sentence
substituting with the name, then
with the pronoun. What
changes? Discuss.
Then, in small groups, invite
students to do the same thing
with the sentences below.
Provide copies of the book as
students may discover that they
need to return to the text to
confirm the pronoun reference.
Captain Greener was an artist.
He set to work bringing the
characters to life with colour
collected from flowers, leaves
and clay.
What identifies the General in the
picture?
Exploring plot, character, setting and theme
As a class, list the settings in the book from the first
pages of the battle to the end of the war. Clues
about the details of each setting can be found in
the illustrations as well as the text.
Page
What the
text tells
me
What the
illustrations
tell me
Setting
Pages
1–2
there was a
battle
the men
were
frightened
battlefield
Pages
3–4
the Allies
surrendered
the men
were
captured by
the
Japanese
soldiers
Singapore
City
Pages
5–6
many were
taken to
Changi
Prison
there were
crowds of
people of all
ages
prison
List 5 gifts you can see in the picture.
Griff wrote the book. Who was the
illustrator?
Griff braced himself for a
beating, but a mate sprang to
his defence. “I’ll see it’s
destroyed,” he promised.
Discuss how understanding the
pronoun reference helps
comprehension of the text.
Focus on “himself” (refers to
Griff), “his” (possessive pronoun
refers to Griff’s defence), “I” (the
mate talking about himself), “it”
(refers to the book) and “he” (the
mate talking).
Then, using the sentence below,
identify the connectives used.
After liberation, Griff’s mates
returned to the barrack’s
garden and dug up a box.
Inside was a handmade book.
The print was smudged, the
colour was faded, but the
Happiness Box had survived.
On the board, rewrite the
sentence without the
connectives:
After liberation, Griff’s mates
returned to the barrack’s
garden. They dug up a box.
Inside was a handmade book.
The print was smudged. The
colour was faded.
The Happiness Box had
survived.
In the first instance a pronoun is
needed to connect the sentences
Pages
7–8
the camp
was
crowded
and there
was not
much food
the men
were not
getting
enough to
eat
prison
Pages
9–10
the men
played
games and
sang
reading
made their
lives
brighter
prison
Discuss plot in a story. Quickly record what the
students know about plot and the elements that
contribute to it.
This book has some highs and lows that students
would recognise are connected to the setting. Now
they will look at the plot and how the conflict was or
was not resolved. Provide time back in groups with
a copy of the book to discuss.
In groups, ask students to track the plot throughout
the book. Once a discussion has taken place,
construct a book plot profile together as a class.
Details can be found here.
Decide on a starting point. On the first pages there
is a battle, followed by surrender, entering the
prison, life in prison, making gifts, etc.
in a different way to the
conjunction. Is one technique
better?
Discuss the last sentence. Does
the meaning change? Read both
versions aloud and discuss.
Allow time for students to explore
the text and find other examples
of pronouns and connectives
(linking devices) that make the
text cohesive.
Now that students have a better
understanding of how the writer
used pronoun references, ask
them to return to and find
examples in some of their own
recent writing.
(ACELA1491)
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What were the major events?
Where does the story peak? Does it peak
more than once? Is there a climax?
Is there a resolution?
Prompt students to think about how the text and
illustrations work together to achieve these things.
(ACELT1603) (ACELT1605)
RICH ASSESSMENT TASK
Part of the assessment involves the teacher
listening into the group and whole class
discussions. The teacher should note which
students read deeply and think analytically about
the events taking place. Students have been
exposed to the idea of war, but the experience of
young people in WWII may be challenging for many
to understand.
Ask students to think about the previous
discussions and, using those discussions and the
book, write a brief description of Griff and what type
of person they think he is.


What attributes does Griff have?
What proof can be found in the text (words
and illustrations) to support this view?
(ACELT1605) (ACELT1607)
Lesson 5
Vocabulary
Lurked
Morale
Scoured
Connectives
Using the sentence below,
identify the connectives used.
After liberation, Griff’s mates
returned to the barrack’s garden
and dug up a box. Inside was a
handmade book. The print was
smudged, the colour was faded,
but the Happiness Box had
survived.
On the board, rewrite the
sentence without the
connectives:
After liberation, Griff’s mates
returned to the barrack’s
garden. They dug up a box.
Inside was a handmade book.
The print was smudged. The
colour was faded.
The Happiness Box had
survived.
Questions
Examining text structure and organisation
Why does the General ban the book?
Re-read the book while students relax with their
eyes closed, listening to the words. After reading
ask students to share what they were feeling and
what they were “seeing”.
Who was Winston in the book and who
was Winston in the real world?
“Griff braced himself for a beating.”
What does this sentence mean?
Now read again, focusing on the illustrations.
Together identify that the illustrator, Andrew
McLean, used pen and watercolour pastel.
Why was Griff so sad?
Was he right to believe what he did?
Focus on the colours as you turn the pages.
Students will notice the browns and greys in the
opening pages and in the camp. What happens on
pages 9 and 10, which show the prisoners playing
a ball game, the concert and the men reading?
Continue through the book, noting the colour
palette and change in colour when the situation
changes.
Put students in groups with copies of the book to
look for details in the illustrations. For example, on
the page showing the concert the men are holding
cards. What do they say? What is the message on
the stage? On the page where the camp is
liberated, what flags are flying?
Ask each group to report back on their findings,
encouraging them to focus on the style of the
illustrations and what they bring to the text.
Sticky-note storm the question: What technique
does the illustrator use to add detail to this text?
Give students a moment to think about the
question. They should write their idea(s) on a
sticky-note and place it in the middle of the table
(one idea per note). Review the ideas.
In the first instance a pronoun is
needed to connect the sentences
in a different way to the
conjunction. Is one technique
better?
Lesson 6
(ACELT1605) (ACELA1496) (ACELA1779)
Discuss the last sentence. Does
the meaning change? Read both
versions aloud and discuss.
Allow time for students to explore
the text and find other examples
of pronouns and connectives
(linking devices) that make the
text cohesive.
RICH ASSESSMENT TASK
Now that students have a better
understanding of how the writer
used pronoun references, ask
them to return to and find
examples in some of their own
recent writing.
Now, in groups of four, compare and discuss
learnings, questions and surprises.
(ACELA1491)
(ACELT1603) (ACELY1687)
After completing the activities, finish by asking
students to record:
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3 things that they have learnt
2 questions they have
1 thing that surprised them
Take time to respond to the outstanding questions
through a shared discussion. Celebrate the
learnings.
Vocabulary
Questions
Starvation
Ravaged
Cholera
How were the prisoners of war
transported to the jungle?
What were the prisoners required to
do?
Creating Texts
Students have learnt that The Happiness Box by
David Griffin, with drawings by Leslie Greener, was
the book behind the book they have been reading.
After the original book was retrieved from its hiding
place following the war, it was eventually printed
and sold in 1991. The history of this little book is:
 Written in Changi in December 1942
Describe what you see in the
illustration.
What do you think happened to these
prisoners?

Buried in Changi Prison before Christmas
1942
 Dug up from its secret hiding place after the
liberation of Singapore on 5 September
1945
 Published in Singapore in 1991
The original version of The Happiness Box toured
Australia, along with Sir Don Bradman’s cricket bat
and Ned Kelly’s helmet, as part of the National
Treasures exhibition from Australia’s libraries. The
book is now in the State Library of NSW.
As a class, return to the earlier discussion on
national treasures. What do the items that toured
have in common? Why would this small book be
considered a national treasure?
The recovered book was dedicated: “To the
children whose fathers went to Singapore and
never came back” (page 3, 1991). Briefly discuss
the dedication.
The book told the story of three friends: Winston,
a chi chak (lizard); Martin, a monkey; and Wobbley,
a frog. They showed great kindness to the jungle
creatures and were very happy in their small house
in the jungle. One day Wobbley found an old heavy
box when he was digging in his rice field. The
friends were afraid to open it and went off to ask
the wisest creatures in the jungle what to do. After
visiting many animals, they asked Bumble Bee.
After much consideration, he told the friends to go
home and open the box, “for in it you will find the
happiness of the world” (page 23, 1991).
Invite students to work in groups of four or five to
discuss what the three friends might have found in
the box. Each group is to plan how to present their
idea to the class. It can be done as an oral
presentation, a short play, a PowerPoint, etc.
Check in with each group to ensure that they
understand any time limits you need to impose.
Return as a class to share the ideas from the last
activity. Now explain that when the friends opened
the box it was lined with blue velvet and contained
three books: one for each of the friends. Printed in
gold was a message: “In these three books there
lies the secret to happiness. Read them; then go
out into the world and teach your fellow creatures
how to be happy” (page 28, 1991).
Re-form the groups and allow the students to think
about their response to the first task. Now they can
add to or change what they did and decide on three
things that they might do to teach others how to be
happy. Display, share and celebrate the ideas.
Lesson 7
Vocabulary
Questions
Broadcast
Liberation
Cherished
When did they hear the broadcast?
Who surrendered?
Why did Griff’s mates dig up the book?
In 2018 the Sydney Symphony Orchestra put this
story to music, describing it as an inspiring tale of
friendship and courage. The music was composed
by Bryony Marks. It is no longer available in full, so
listen to the introduction on YouTube. This clip
introduces the instruments that represent the
different characters. The choice of instruments
gives insight into each of their natures. You might
like to show images of the original book available in
the State Library of NSW collection while listening.
Make a list of what you would put in
your Happiness Box. You need at least
5 items.
Provide time for students to discuss what they have
heard and seen. Ask if the introduction to the
performance offered any clues as to what the
secret of happiness might be.
Now reveal the secrets found in the old book:



Winston’s book: “My book says that the
world will be happy if people learn to be
clever and if they learn to be like Martin and
Wobbley” (page 29, 1991).
Wobbley’s book: “My book says that the
world will be happy if people work hard and
if they learn to be like Martin and Winston”
(page 30, 1991).
Martin’s book: “My book says that the world
will be happy if people are generous and
kind and if they learn to be like Winston and
Old Wobbley” (page 30, 1991).
The three friends decided that, together, those
things meant that they must go out into the world
and teach their neighbours how to be clever,
industrious and kind so that their neighbours could
be as happy as they were.
The task now is for students to individually write
what they think is the secret to happiness. It may
be a version of one of the things revealed in the
book, or something completely different. Before
writing, allow some discussion time as a class.
Prompt with the questions:




Are all three of the things from the book
important?
Is one more important that the others?
Is there something more important that
could be the secret to happiness?
This book was written in 1942 during a war.
Do you think the secret to happiness might
have changed since then?
Invite students to create posters with their ideas so
that the “secrets of happiness” can be displayed
around the school. Encourage other students to
read them and talk about all the ideas for
happiness. Invite parents and guardians to come to
the school so that the class can take them on a
guided “happiness” tour of what happiness means
to Year 4.
(ACELY1687) (ACELT1607)
RICH ASSESSMENT TASK
Read the section on the last page of Mark
Greenwood and Andrew McLean’s The Happiness
Box. In the third paragraph, it says that the book
was written to chase away fear and give hope:
The secrets to happiness hidden in the story were
virtues such as the importance of friendship,
kindness, compassion, generosity, loyalty, faith,
courage and hard work. The author hoped children
would find these secrets hidden in the story.
Invite small groups of students to find a place
around the classroom and call out one of the
secrets, such as “compassion”. After a couple of
minutes discussing the virtue, each group
organises itself into a shape to represent that word.
The teacher can photograph the representations
before continuing with the other words.
Display some of the images taken and discuss as a
class. This process will give each student a better
understanding of each of the words.
Finally, ask each student to choose one of the
words and write about that word and what it might
look like on a daily basis. Encourage students to
use text and images to present their idea. Both text
and image should fit on one A4 page.
Publish the pages, with the audience being
students in the class. Display them or make them
into a book for the class library. Refer to the words
regularly to build up an understanding of the
virtues. (ACELT1607) (ACELY1687)
Author Mark Greenwood has generously
provided a copy of the speech he
gave (PDF, 102KB) when The Happiness
Box was launched in Singapore in 2018.
Read the speech to the class as you might
deliver it at a launch (that is, stand and give
the air of formality as you recite it). Provide
Task 1
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
What new information have you learned from Mark Greenwood’s speech?
What does the speech tell you about Mark Greenwood as a person and a writer?
Task 2
Re-read paragraph four:
copies for students if they wish to read it
independently.
Put students in six small groups, providing
each with a copy of the speech and a task
(two groups will do Task 1, two will do Task
2 and two will do Task 3). Let the students
know the time limit to complete the first task
(20 minutes).
After the time is up, put the two groups with
the same task together to compare and
contrast their ideas (10 minutes).
I first saw the original Happiness Box book in a touring exhibition of National Treasures from
Australia’s Great Libraries. It showed that books and reading, knowledge and education can
also be a secret to happiness.



Mark Greenwood reveals another secret to happiness; what is it?
Do you agree that reading, knowledge and education may also be secrets to
happiness?
If so, how might you share this “secret” with other students in the school?
Task 3
Re-read what Mark Greenwood says about Griff:
Within its walls of a prison, with a book in hand, his thoughts were free. He studied the
characters in books. He stored their voices in his heart and wove them into his own words.
 Explain what you think this means.
 How might this have helped Griff (and others) survive the terrible conditions in Changi
prison?