No One Is Home

No One Is Home by Mikolaj Pa, illustrated by Gosia Herba (Greystone Kids) HB RRP $29.99 ISBN: 9781778402180

Reviewed by Dannielle Viera

Leo decides to visit his friend, Kimbo, for his birthday. On the way, he stops to buy his pal some cream puffs – but there’s a big line at the bakery. Leo begins to write a poem for Kimbo, but he doesn’t know a word that rhymes with ‘oranges’. At the last minute, he grabs some flowers. When he gets to Kimbo’s house, nobody is home. Kimbo is waiting at Leo’s house after having an adventurous trip through the city. They finally meet at the monkey statue in the park, and Kimbo is happy with the flowers – he eats them because he’s hungry!

There are surprises around every corner in Mikolaj Pa’s creative story. From frogs playing a game of hide and seek across the city to a buzzing bug parade and a robot dog that goes on the fritz, the book features a crazy cast of characters that kids aged four to eight will adore. Short bursts of text in speech bubbles and vignette captions help reluctant readers to dive into the action of the book.

Gosia Herba has taken inspiration from Richard Scarry in creating compelling crowds of personified animals to populate this wacky world. Bright colours and endless details will keep youngsters busy for hours – especially as they try to find all of the hidden frogs! Perhaps the most eye-catching illustration is the full spread depicting the bug parade – every creature is dazzling and different.

Fun, frenetic and fabulous, No One Is Home is the perfect book for repeat readings because there is so much happening on every page. Leo’s determination to find Kimbo and celebrate his birthday puts the importance of friendship at front and centre of the captivating chaos.

Mushrooms Know

Mushrooms Know by Kallie George, illustrated by Sara Gillingham (Greystone Kids) HB RRP $29.99 ISBN 9781778400773

Reviewed by Kylie Buckley

Mushrooms Know is a fun nonfiction picture book about the many and varied mushroom species and their unique ability to ‘know’ how to survive and thrive. The fabulous facts are plentiful and include an interesting insight into the fungi world. Children will learn many things, including: there are more than 30,000 species of mushrooms; unlike green plants mushrooms do not use sunlight to make their food; and many mushrooms have an extensive underground network that works to help nourish trees and share chemical messages with its plant partners.

The book’s text is presented in two parts on each double page spread. The larger font shares basic facts about what ‘mushrooms know’ and the smaller font offers more descriptive information to expand on these facts.

The illustrations are created using a bright and vibrant colour palette that would appeal to a young audience. The cartoon-style mushrooms are presented as anthropomorphic tying in nicely with the ‘mushrooms know’ text. Over 50 types of mushrooms are illustrated throughout the book and are labelled with their species name.

Mushrooms Know is an informative picture book that would appeal to children aged 4-8 who love learning about science and nature. Ultimately, the early childhood audience will learn that “mushrooms play a vital role in life cycles and creating healthy ecosystems.”

The book concludes with a ‘Did You Know?’ section that includes more fun facts, and a reminder to never eat or touch any mushrooms you find.

Be a Nature Explorer!

Be a Nature Explorer! by Peter Wohlleben, illustrated by Belle Wuthrich (Greystone Kids) PB RRP ISBN9781771649698

Sub-titled ‘Outdoor Activities and Adventures’, this is a small book written by a German, who, in his introduction, suggests that children keep notebooks filled with their natural discoveries. The book has an eclectic, long contents’ table with titles ranging from ‘Whistling with Grass’, ‘Acting Smart in Stormy Weather’, ‘Snacking on Sweet Blossoms’, and ‘Blowing Bubbles’.

Wohlleben encourages the young reader to take equipment on their nature adventures, such as a pencil, plastic containers, notebook, magnifying glass and binoculars. He suggests that the child make an entry in the notebook right away when he finds something interesting. Next, he explores bird life from insect and seed eaters to sugar sippers and leaf and fruit eaters. Other things he explores are pond life (such as mosquito larvae and frogs’ eggs), then he says what kinds of birds the child might spot. 

As a European, the author talks about birds and insects with which an Australian children might not be familiar with, but some of them our local child likely knows, such as raptors (eagles, hawks and owls), crows and geese, slugs, and snails.

The author’s enthusiasm for nature is obvious: he even suggests the reader makes friends with a tree by watching it as it changes through the seasons, observing its leaves, buds, blooms, even its twigs. He suggests making a list of spring wildflowers ‘in your forest’ (not bush). Again, some of the flowers he mentions – such as columbines and wood anemone – are not found in our country. Nor are insects such as firebugs, oak gall wasps, and beech gall midges.

There are 52 activities suggested that the keen botanist can undertake as he explores his natural surroundings. The book displays artwork and photographs, and the text is easy enough to read. A child aged 8+ years who is enthusiastic about taking on projects is likely to enjoy this book and its activities.