Book Review: Out of the Blue by Anthony Field and Greg Truman

A friend once told me that when you have a toddler and they are into something, it helps if you are into it too. This was after he gave me the rundown of everything he knew about The Wiggles members and their backstories, the moment I mentioned that my daughter had started watching them on TV.

Slowly, I began to understand what he meant. If I was going to spend hours singing along to Hot Potato or Rockabye Bear, I might as well get invested. So, when I saw Out of the Blue: everything this Wiggle journey has taught me flash across the new-books screen on the libraries website, I knew that I had to read it.

I enjoyed it right from the word go, where Greg talked about moving from Australia to New York. He was asked if he knew those ‘Wiggle guys’ and he had to admit that yes, yes he did. In fact, the blue Wiggle guy was his cousin.

It was interesting to hear about Anthony’s childhood, to find out when he became interested in music and later early childhood education. For years, he was a founding member of popular Australian band, The Cockroaches. He also spent time in the military where he discovered his love of bagpipes.

The book also dives into areas of The Wiggles history which I am sure weren’t easy to cover, such as the retirement of his bandmates and the challenges that surrounded the introduction of new members and then the band’s new iteration. All while trying to keep the founding principles of early childhood development at its core.

It will be interesting to see what the future of The Wiggles looks like, but I doubt Anthony will be too far away when that happens.

Reviewed by Kristen

4 March 2025

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