For All Creatures

For All Creatures by Glenda Millard, illustrated by Rebecca Cool (Walker Books)
PB RRP $ 16.95
ISBN 9781922077066
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Glenda Millard’s extraordinary affinity with the natural world is on display in For All Creatures. She also has a talent for utilising uncommon word forms and concepts. They appear to come easily to her and have served her well in her writing. This talent illuminates the pages of each book she creates. Using alliteration and assonance freely, the repetition of sounds is perfect for reading aloud.

For All Creatures was first published in 2011 and proved extremely popular due to its unique and clever text and Rebecca Cool’s stunning illustrations. Represented are birds and animals, things that sit, fly and crawl, and creatures of all descriptions and size. One could spend hours identifying the natural world involved and still remain excited by what they see.

Glenda collaborated with Rebecca on Isabella’s Garden. Her easily identifiable illustrative style translates the text perfectly using bold colours and lines, and intricately detailed characters, settings and backgrounds. This outstanding book that has several identical end pages that seem to embrace the contents was a CBCA shortlisted book. It comes highly recommended and ‘we are thankful’.

Children's Book Council of Australia Awards 2012

The 2012 Children's Book Council of Australia Awards Notables and Shortlist have just been announced. The lists include some new faces and some old favourites and congratulations to all nominees who have produced world class literature for our children.

I'll stick out my neck and have a go at predicting who will win in each category come August.

Older Readers:
A Straight Line to My Heart by Bill Condon (Allen & Unwin)
Brilliant characters, witty dialogue and perceptions about life, death, friendship and family. Bill Condon gets better and better and this absolute gem of a story proves it.

Read the Buzz Words Books review here.



Younger Readers:
Crow Country by Kate Constable (Allen and Unwin)

A compelling time slip novel set in the town of Boort, Victoria combining history, Indigenous lore and tackling bigger issues of power and racism. Unique and very Australian. Loved it and have already bought it for half my family.

Read the Buzz Words Books review here.


Early Childhood:
My pick is The Last Viking by Norman Jorgensen, illustrated by James Foley (Fremantle Press)
Bravery and imagination, the perfect combination for any child or for any one of us. Beautifully detailed and colourful illustrations delight.

Read the Buzz Words Books review here.

Picture Book:
This one was tricky, a close call between For All Creatures by Glenda Millard, illustrated by Rebecca Cool (Walker Books Australia) and A Bus Called Heaven by Bob Graham (Walker Books).

I have to give the nod to For All Creatures with its message of gratitude for the gifts of nature. In my review at the time, I said that this beautifully lyrical text accompanied by the visual treat of the bold, naive-like illustrations would win a swag of awards.


Eve Pownall Award for Information Books:
Carole Wilkinson's Fromelles: Australia's Bloodiest Day at War (black dog books) is one that all Australians should read. It is heart-breaking and inspirational at the same time and a reminder of the sacrifice war demands from not only 'our side' and 'our troops' but from all.

Read the Buzz Words Books review here.

Chrichton Award:
Squish Rabbit by Katherine Battersby (University of Queensland Press)
Exquisitely simple and effective illustrations tell this story about friendship for young children.


Read the Buzz Words Books review here.


You can read the full lists here: Notables, Shortlist , Chrichton Shortlist

My predictions are, of course, my personal choice for the best books for children in Australia over the past year. I know I lean towards historical books.

I'd love to hear your predictions.

For All Creatures

 For All Creatures by Glenda Millard, illustrated by Rebecca Cool (Walker Books)

HB RRP $29.95

ISBN 9781921529818

Reviewed by Vicki Stanton

For All Creatures is an outstanding book of gratitude for the gifts of nature. The vibrant cover, filled with Rebecca Cool’s distinctive illustrations in her bold, naïve style, compelled me to select it first from the pile to be reviewed. Open the book and endpapers burst with colour and images of animals, people, and flowers. It bursts with joy. I was in love with For All Creatures before I even reached the title page.

Glenda Millard’s mastery of the English language is unsurpassed. Her text is lyrical, yet her word choices are also challenging with such inclusions as metamorphosis, nonchalance and quagmire. This is definitely a story to be read with children, perfect to be shared, and one that will become a classic.

I loved how Millard began For All Creatures with one of the non-favourites of the animal kingdom – spiders. She shows us the beauty in all animals.

For weavers and wisps.

For silk spinners and spiderlings,

lace and loveliness

and for webs, we are thankful.

Each double spread finishes with the phrase ‘we are thankful’. Animals from throughout the world and Australia are included; there are amphibians and snails (with their ‘scribbled silver secrets’), birds and insects, mammals small and large. Millard always surprises with her use of language. We are thankful for the ‘upsidedownness’ of bats and the ‘fleas and fingers’ of monkeys.

There are also people, young and old. Textually, this double spread is my favourite. On the left is the young family who ‘wish and wonder and wait’ for their new child, while on the right, we read of the love and tenderness that comes with age.

Cool’s illustrations lift the text to an even higher plane. Each spread is a work of art. My personal favourite is the butterflies, with the contrasting greens and oranges.

Glenda Millard and Rebecca Cool previously collaborated on the award-winning Isabella’s Garden. This new offering must surely reap a swag of awards, too.

For All Creatures reminds us that our world is a wonderful tapestry. Share this book of joy and wonderment with the children in your life.