The First Easter

The First Easter illustrated by Jess Racklyeft (Penguin Random House) HB RRP $24.99 ISBN: 9781761352430

Reviewed by Dannielle Viera

Many people celebrate Easter by having a family gathering, eating special food and going on an egg hunt. These traditions go back to the time of Jesus, ‘who taught people about love and sharing’. Although Jesus died on the day we now call Good Friday, Easter is not a time of sadness – because Jesus rose from the dead. This filled his friends with joy and hope, and now ‘we give Easter eggs as a symbol of new life’.

Written in-house, the text is a simple but uplifting retelling of the Easter story. Details of modern celebrations are deliberately kept vague, so the tale resonates with communities and cultures worldwide. The level of language is perfect for four- to eight-year-olds who would like to dive a little deeper into the meaning behind the ubiquitous hot cross buns and chocolate eggs.

Jess Racklyeft’s images are awash with cheerful colours, guaranteeing that happiness radiates from every spread. When Jesus’ death is discussed, the hues dim for just a moment – until, like the sun, he rises. Then the chromatic intensity increases, in line with humanity’s love for Jesus. Throughout the story, a diverse cast of characters ensures that youngsters find themselves among the pages.

Gentle and faithful, The First Easter would make a delightful Easter gift that keeps on giving throughout the year. With every reading, children will come away from the book with positivity and peace in their hearts.

Volcano

Volcano by Claire Saxby, illustrated by Jess Racklyeft (Allen & Unwin) HB RRP $24.99 ISBN: 9781761180644

Reviewed by Dannielle Viera

In the darkest part of the ocean, ‘a new volcano births a new mountain’. A chimney develops, and it draws in tiny bacteria. Stretching up and up, the mountain starts to support corals and other creatures. And it is always erupting. Soon the mountain breaches the surface of the boiling sea. Exposed to the air, the lava slows and cools. Plants sprout and birds nest on their fresh island home.

Who needs a submarine when Claire Saxby’s lyrical lines dive deep beneath the waves to explore the essence of underwater volcanos? This poetic pilgrimage brings earth sciences to life for children aged five to eight, and along the way they’ll discover how places such as Hawaii arose. Lovely language flits like fish, reflecting the light and the dark of Mother Nature’s most explosive creation.

Jess Racklyeft’s moody blue abyss is soon scorched with flaming orange flashes of lava. The colours become brighter and brighter as the mountain moves towards the sky; more and more vivid flora and fauna are attracted to the volcanic sanctuary. Readers will gasp when they open the gatefold illustration and glimpse the gushing peak in all its glory.

Kids who adored Claire and Jess’s previous books – Tree and Iceberg – will relish the roaring rumble and tumble of Volcano. Drama bursts forth from every page, as evocative words and images form a ring of fire in young imaginations.

Our World of Wild Wonders

Our World of Wild Wonders, written by Jevita Nilson, illustrated by Jess Racklyeft (CSIRO Publishing)

Earth’s wildlife is nothing short of extraordinary. There are colour-changing chameleons in the forests of Madagascar and cliff-climbing goats in the European Alps.

There are fluorescent fish in the depths of the Mariana Trench and wildfire-surviving echidnas in the Australian bush.

Our World of Wild Wonders combines a lyrical narrative, vibrant illustrations, and fascinating facts to explore our planet's unique animal species. Some are mighty, some are meek, but all are wondrous in their own unique way. Shall we explore?

Our World of Wild Wonders is available on the CSIRO Publishing website and at various bookstores.

First Numbers

First Numbers by Jess Racklyeft (Affirm Press) HB Board Book RRP $14.95 ISBN 9781923135468

Here is a concept rhyming board book for babies and toddlers, the format of which is larger than most board books. Its focus is on Australian flora and fauna, and it is beautifully designed, drawn, and coloured.

After the first impressive fly pages of butterflies against a background of leaves, the text begins: ‘Let’s count through this country… there is so much to see! Can you count the turtles or the fish in the sea?’ It then proceeds with a hairy wombat (‘let’s start our count with one’) followed by two snakes in a tangle, and three bats having fun.

There are four birds (which include a buff-breasted kingfisher, a scarlet honeyeater, a sulphur-crested cockatoo, and an Australian ringneck), then five different types of frogs, six marsupials, seven kinds of insects, and so on until finally the reader is invited to spot ten types of sea life. All the insects and animals are named alongside coloured pictures of the subjects.

At the end of the book, the child (if old enough) can follow the strips of insects and animals by counting backward from ten to one. The final double-page spread shows Uluru and some bouncing kangaroos, with the final words, ‘…remember – there’s only ONE of you!)

Australia’s Baby Animals

 

Australia’s Baby Animals by Jess Racklyeft (Affirm Press) HB RRP $29.99 ISBN 9781923022812

Reviewed by Kylie Buckley

Australia’s Baby Animals is a highly engaging and visually pleasing nonfiction picture book that introduces a young audience to a myriad of baby animals. The animals are represented in five categories according to their biome: earth babies, sky babies, tree babies, river babies, and sea babies. Each double-page spread includes illustrations and information about 6-10 baby animals, including their common name, scientific name, and a small paragraph of fascinating facts for each.

The beginning of the book hosts pages that will introduce an early childhood audience to a range of tier 3 vocabulary, building them a base of knowledge before delving into the main text. For example, instead of a bland alphabetical glossary on the last page, this book includes a visually pleasing double-page spread of words and their definitions that are helpful for readers to understand before proceeding. The first few pages also explain classification types, vertebrates, invertebrates, as well as biomes.

Australia’s Baby Animals has been created by the talented Melbourne-based author and illustrator Jess Racklyeft. Her text gives readers an insight into a diverse array of newborn Australian wildlife while her stunning watercolour spot illustrations allow children to visualise these animals and consolidate their understanding. The format is equally advantageous for browsing or reading from cover to cover.

Australia’s Baby Animals is a companion book to Australia: Country of Colour (CBCA Honour Award: Eve Pownall Category) which celebrates Australia’s animals, plants, and landscapes.

Our World Full of Wonder

Our World Full of Wonder (CSIRO) Jevita Nilson & Jess Racklyeft PB RRP $24.99 9781486316052

Reviewed by Karen Hendriks

Jevita Nilson is an Australian children’s author who creates stories that encourage children to explore the world around them. Her debut picture book Happy Hearts was published in 2020. Our World Full of Wonder is her first non-fiction book which will be followed by a third in 2025 with CSIRO.

Jess Racklyeft is a multi-award-winning illustrator and author of children’s picture books. Jess previously worked in publishing before becoming a full-time illustrator.

Our world is full of amazing natural wonders: there are extraordinary places found right here on Earth that are not only magical, but true. This book takes you to some of those places

Jevita Nilson has written about wondrous places. She really does inspire children to want to explore. The opening spread uses sparse text to create awe. Floating in space, there is a world full of wonder. Shall we go explore? The book unfolds with double spreads for each special place. A repeat refrain opens each spread There is a place where… Rather than revealing the name of the place, the text describes the place, and the illustrations show them. Rather than giving answers the text inspires the reader to find answers and wonder where the place could possibly be in our big wide world.

The language used is light and lyrical, to spark awe and wonder. The word choices are enriching and satisfying. There is a place where ocean creatures roam a multi-coloured maze, where giant rays glide through gleaming waters, and turtles paddle past wavering coral. The verbs give a sense of place and movement, and Nilson uses things children know to build imagery. e.g. fairy-floss water ripples. The ending beautifully links to the beginning. There is a place filled with wonder: our world, our home. Shall we go explore? The back matter lists each place featured in chronological order with its name, location and facts. A handy glossary gives the meaning of scientific words used in the text.

Jess Racklyeft’s signature illustrative style shines out distinctly from the front cover. A blue space background with tiny dots for stars and Earth front and centre with a world map that shows the places featured inside. The title is in a striking yellow font. The endpapers resemble coloured lights with brush strokes in pastel colours across a white background. The title page shows the title inside the sun and birds flying across which draws the eye to page turn into wonder. Racklyeft’s use of both moody and joyful colour really does show the wonder of such magical places. Her colour palette is candy for the eye. Perspective zooms in and out to advantageously show each unique place in its own light.

Some double pages beam bright glorious colour others show the view of the place through a child’s eyes. I love the spread with the tall trees as three children are looking up into the dappled canopy. The way nature shows herself in different places is captured. In the back matter there is a world map included with each place numbered and two children floating in space looking down. Beside the glossary on a white background a map of the world shows the places featured.

Our World Full of Wonder is a picture book that is gloriously magical but also about true places which is unique. This is a book that entices the reader to want to go explore places in our world. You can’t help but not fall in love with our world. It’s a special read for children 5-9 years, and will be enjoyed by many age groups.

Tree

Tree by Claire Saxby, illustrated by Jess Racklyeft (Allen & Unwin) HB RRP $24.99 ISBN: 9781761069505

Reviewed by Dannielle Viera 

Somewhere deep in a misty mountain forest, a towering tree rises above the canopy. From its roots to its leaves, it’s connected to and cares for a cacophony of creatures. ‘Between sapwood and heartwood, water rises and energy flows. The tree grows.’ Days and nights pass, and the tree endures … even when wildfires scorch the earth. When its time comes, it will fall to the forest floor. But for now, ‘the tree stands tall’.

Interweaving information and imagination, Claire Saxby draws children aged five to eight deep into Australia’s dense bushland. As a ‘lyrebird scritch-scratches’ and ‘centipedes scurry’ while a nearby ‘silver wattle shivers’, readers see, hear and feel what it’s like to live in this luscious landscape. Claire’s lyrical language sings of beauty in knowledge, and benefit in conservation.

Bright hues burst from Jess Racklyeft’s brilliant illustrations. From the fresh green of the foliage to the oozy ochre of the soil and the chill indigo stretching across the midnight sky, each alluring colour choice exudes authenticity. Youngsters will adore the fold-out page that brings the striking height of the tree to life, and they’ll spend hours investigating every intriguing detail.

This profound picture book introduces kids to the importance of trees in the ecosystem, and gently reminds them of the value of environmental protection. The heartfelt synthesis between words and images ensures that the message is uniquely uplifting.

The First Christmas

The First Christmas illustrated by Jess Racklyeft (Penguin Random House Australia) PB HB RRP $24.99 9780143796909 

Reviewed by Karen Hendriks

Jess Racklyeft is an award-winning illustrator with a magical touch. Recent awards include CBCA Notable Picture Book of the year two years running. She lives in Melbourne with her family.

The First Christmas beautifully captures the wonder of the nativity and highlights the Christmas spirit of giving and togetherness. This timeless picture book shares the true meaning of Christmas and the importance of family.

The simple word-efficient text gives the captivating illustrations plenty of space to shine. A long time ago, in a country far away, shepherds were keeping their sheep safe at night is the opening sentence that sets the scene with ease. The minimalistic dialogue is direct, intentional and conveys meaning ‘There was no room for us at the inn,’ said Mary. ‘His name is Jesus. The carefully placed punctuation allows the special moment of meeting the new baby boy to be felt and savoured. Lying on hay, wrapped up snuggly, was a baby boy. The verbs are effective and used in the right places. A light shone around them in the darkness, and they were frightened. This retelling is well done by an anonymous author.

The book cover will attract attention with its soft blue background with hints of gold and the title is eye-catching and golden. Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus with farm animals are centre on the bottom part of the book so the eye goes to the title and then the characters. The endpapers are festive and cheery with small green branches, stars, birds, and, if you look closely, tiny sheep. The title page has a vignette of two shepherd children sitting under a tree in the illuminating light of the star that heralded the birth of Jesus. The layout varies but double page spreads are used for most of the story. The illustration of baby Jesus asleep on the hay with three farm animals is beautifully illuminated by the light of the Christmas Star. The water colour palette works a treat with the simplistic drawings. The childlike illustrations really give this book a unique specialness.

The First Christmas is a picture book for children 3-8 years that brings the meaning of Christmas and family together. This timeless book is sure to appeal at Christmas time for those wanting to share or learn about the first Christmas.

Big Cat

Big Cat by Jess Racklyeft (Allen and Unwin), Picture Book, ISBN 9 781761 066580

Reviewed by Susan Hancy

Catherine is a neat and organised 7-year-old with a keen attention to detail. She fancies herself as an investigator and decides to search for the mysterious BIG CAT which she has read about. Eventually she finds one, or rather he finds her. They become friends, despite their opposing personalities with BIG CAT being “chaotic” and “lawless”. BIG CAT helps Catherine forget her need for orderliness and detail, and helps her to open her eyes to the world around her.

The illustrations in this book are delightful and my 6-year-old kids had fun searching for the Big Cat hidden in the part of the story when Catherine was more intent on following her process than looking around her. But when I asked them at the end what the point of the story was, they couldn’t tell me. I had to read the explanation in the blurb on the back cover to understand what the author-illustrator was trying to convey. There are aspects of the story which are not built up enough – we’re just told that they happen. It’s not clear what Catherine and Big Cat have in common to start hanging out together. It’s not clear that Catherine didn’t have adventures in her own neighbourhood before meeting Big Cat.

After reading the story through a couple of times and with the help of the blurb and the author’s note, the end pages then made sense and were of interest to me as an adult. (The kids, however, had lost interest by this stage and they’d walked off.) The end pages are describing various sculptures to be found in parks and public places around Melbourne.

Overall, this book is a work of art with a great message about being open to exploring for treasures where you live. However, I feel this message will be lost on many kids and the book is more suited to an appreciative adult.

Whisper on the Wind

Whisper on the Wind by Claire Saxby, illustrated by Jess Racklyeft (Allen & Unwin) HB RRP $24.99 ISBN: 9781760526887

Reviewed by Dannielle Viera

‘This is the wind that carries the whisper from Ren’s dream.’ Resembling a message in a bottle, the whisper dances on moonlit ocean swells and plays with fish, dolphins, and a colossal octopus. Finally, a sailor ‘catches the whisper’ and turns towards land. As dawn breaks, the sailor and her son, Ren, are reunited.

Claire Saxby’s quietly cumulative tale glides across the night scene like a ripple on the sea. The use of present tense draws readers aged three to six into the story, so they feel the breeze in their hair and Ren’s wish in their hearts. When the pain of separation is contrasted with the joy of connection, children discover that love conquers all.

Jess Racklyeft’s fluid and fantastical illustrations gently ferry youngsters from page to page, and they deep-dive into the wonders beneath the waves. There is a powerful shift from gloomy hues when mother and son are apart to glowing tones when they come together again. Children will adore the ever-watchful moon, who cannot rest until the sailor heads for home. 

Sensitive and poetic, this is an ideal picture book to dip into before bedtime. Littlies will drift off to sleep as they whisper their own hopes and prayers to the wind.

Smile Cry: A Beginner’s Book of Feelings

Smile Cry: A Beginner’s Book of Feelings by Tania McCartney, illustrated by Jess Racklyeft (EK Books)

HC RRP $ 19.99

ISBN 9781921966989

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Tania McCartney’s new book, illustrated in soft pastel watercolours and pencil, is a sheer delight. Piglet, bunny and cat are the adorable characters that take us through different feelings and the reasons that children experience them.

Designed to be read from either end, it is a clever format, as children can look at the Cry end for sad feelings, and the Smile side for happy emotions, depending on their state of mind. The two emotions meet in the middle.

Beautifully illustrated by Jess Racklyeft, this book can and will be used as a tool to generate discussion in classrooms and homes about moods and feelings. Designed for the 3+ age, questions will arise about what makes people cry. Is it from disappointment, fear, pain, something lost, the dark, saying goodbye, from sheer joy, regret, or simply a ‘tutu in the wash’?

Then there will be the opposite. What brings a smile to the face? A good book to read in bed on a rainy day, a loving wink, the satisfaction of a good meal, being tickled, enjoying the beauty of nature, laughing, anticipating something you long for, enjoying play, and being with people you love.

The expressions on the characters face speak a thousand words and frequently express more than the text. In this case, the two work in perfect harmony.

This is a picture book to enjoy over and over with a little one that you love. A wonderful stepping stone towards understanding feelings, it is full of smiles and tears, and genuine moments of togetherness will be found between its fantastic covers.