Ellie Phant: Perfectly Imperfect

Ellie Phant: Perfectly Imperfect by Mary Anastasiou, illustrated by Daron Parton (Five Mile Press) HB ISBN978192328690

This is an empowering and heartwarming picture book for readers aged 6 to 8 years that tells the story of Ellie Phant, a confident, and joyful elephant who radiates inner strength. Despite her playful self-assurance, Ellie begins to question her unique style and overweight body when her friends suggest otherwise. However, Ellie is not alone in questioning her body size: other animals such as the thin-armed sloth, the ultra-tall flamingo, the short-legged badger and the far-too-small mouse, all have body image problems, too.

‘Now, listen up,’ she told them. ‘This silliness must cease. Quiet down those inner whispers and give your heart some peace.’

Thus, this relatable journey explores themes of self-acceptance, body positivity, and staying true to oneself.

The illustrations by New Zealand resident, Parton, are in a limited palette with a predominance of pinks, greens and blues.

Tilly’s New Broom

Tilly’s New Broom by Mary Anastasiou (Five Mile Press), RRP $24.99 Picture Book ISBN 9-781923-091542

Reviewed by Susan Hancy

Little witch Tilly is running late for her Dark Art class and wouldn’t you know it – her broom won’t start!

Who doesn’t know that feeling?

Naturally, Tilly needs to find a new broom so she heads off to the Zoomer’s Expo to investigate the replacement options. A chair would be a comfortable mode of transport, but unlikely to have the power she needs. A vacuum cleaner would allow her to zoom, but such a noisy machine would spoil the element of surprise. Just when it looks like nothing will be appropriate, the perfect solution presents itself.

With publication timed for Halloween, my kids enjoyed the quirkiness of the broom replacement possibilities and the illustrations which convey the atmosphere of a parallel magical world. However, the rhyme faltered on a number of occasions with inconsistent meter and incorrect emphasis. Unfortunately, this detracted from an otherwise fun short story.

Suitable for a younger audience from 3 to 5 years.