When the Mountain Wakes

When the Mountain Wakes by Matt Shanks (Affirm Press 20225) HB RRP $29.99 ISBN: 9781923419056

Reviewed by Sylvia Forbes

Somewhere, towards the beginning of time, a mountain rose from the ocean and came to rest above the clouds.

Life sang a lullaby, and the mountain slept for many millions of years.

Until one day, when the world became too silent for sleep ...

Elegance and majesty run through every page of this outstanding and heartfelt picture book - created by internationally published and critically acclaimed author/illustrator - Matt Shanks. 

An impossibly sweet-faced mountain is sleeping blissfully through aeons of time whilst life sings its lullaby. Over several wordless page turns, the passing of time is depicted through a series of tiny, framed illustrations. 

Each image features the mountain, whilst around and on top of it you see the ever-shifting evolutional events and changes taking place (both natural and man-made). From cavemen to dinosaurs - through to the arrival of industry and technology. 

Uncomfortable in the quiet, the mountain grew restless and lonely.

Over more wordless page turns, the mountain extracts itself from the earth and stands, shaking off sleep and rubble and goes searching for a song. 

After a thousand years of searching, the mountain became tired.

It decided to return to the place from where it came. 

But on its way back ... 

something stopped the mountain. It was beautiful. 

The mountain lowers itself with a face full of yearning and gazes intently at a tiny pop of periwinkle-blue - a single flower - bursting out from the parched desolate earth. Concerned for its safety, the mountain gently removes the flowering plant from the earth and places it tenderly into a crevice on its shoulder - protecting it from the harsh, wind-torn terrain as they travel together. The flower becomes a symbol of great hope - and a promise - for the lullaby's return. Encouraged, the mountain keeps moving forwards ... until finally returning to the place from where it first awoke ... 

In a symphony of words and pictures, this 64-page picture book presents like a graphic novel - with the sublime aesthetic of Studio Ghibli. The restrained palette, the tiny details, the intricate textures, where even the bleakest most desolate of environments - a land without life - is illustratively beautiful in colours of sand, stone, camel and beige.

There is so much to love and admire in When the Mountain Wakes - and with every page-turn, with every read, you find another layer to immerse deeper into.

I love the mountain as a character - there is something so instantly endearing about it that draws you in. Could be the juxtaposition between its large, boulder-like figure and its gentle child-like demeanour. As reader I empathised with its plight, I adored seeing the miniscule flower resting on its massive shoulder and admired the unquestioning dedication and time given in its search for life's lullaby. (Taking the metaphor - to move mountains - to a whole new level!)

I also love how the mountain became uncomfortable and woke due to the quiet. You could argue that the the arrival of man with all his machinery and technology would be the thing that woke the mountain - that it would be uncomfortable in all the noise - not the quiet.  

But no. This is about the mountains connection to earth's life force having been broken. The lullaby had ceased because nature - the environment - was in trouble. So how could the mountain sleep when that vital hum of life (more powerful than any man-made noise could ever be), was suddenly gone? It's the equivalent of a baby sleeping in its mother’s arms - where the surrounding noise doesn't wake it - but the sudden loss of its mother’s arms does.

When you live in tune with nature - you feel it. And miss it dreadfully in its absence.

When the Mountain Wakes is a sweeping tale about hope and healing. It is a testament to the resilience of nature. But it also serves as a warning. For things to change and be restored - hope must be actioned. 

Even the smallest actions can make a difference and have a lasting impact, contributing not only to the ongoing health and harmony of the planet (beyond our own lifetimes) but to our own intrinsic connection to it - to nature - and to the continuum of life's lullaby.

I think this quote neatly sums it up ... and I think Matt Shanks would agree ...

'May we be people who plant seeds, 

that grow trees,

in whose shade we may never sit under.' 

This ambitious and profound picture book with its stunning illustrations and economic text, delivers not just a story, but an important and timely message which children (of all ages) will appreciate and enjoy.

It is a 'forever' book.

Highly recommended for readers aged 5 - 99 years.

 

My Little Star

My Little Star by Rory H. Mather and Matt Shanks (Scholastic) HB RRP $26.99 ISBN: 9781761294501

Reviewed by Kellie Nissen

The night sky, with its twinkling stars, holds fascination for many children and adults alike. For some, it’s the science, the world of astronomy – planets, meteors, the sun, stars. For others, it’s the mythology – the stories, rituals, and cultural beliefs around space. For many, it’s the magic – the fantasy and the mystique of a different world.

For Rory H. Mather, the author of My Little Star, the stars in the night sky represent connection, a memory of loved ones gone too soon.

Through a series of gentle and reflective poems – and warm, soft, beautiful illustrations by Matt Shanks – My Little Star gives voice to an array of children who are dealing with the death of their siblings.

In turn, each child tells the reader that their brother or sister ‘is a star’, then goes on to share what this means to them – their star is someone to watch, to feel safe with, to feel happiness for and to feel safe with. Above all, their star will always be there and will never be forgotten.

The hope and love in the beautifully crafted, yet simple words will bring tears and then comfort to readers young and old as they deal with their own grief and create a special place for memory.

My Little Star is a huge departure from the fun, playful stories we’ve come to expect from Rory H. Mather. This is writing that comes from deep in the heart, which is what makes it so very special. Matt Shanks was the perfect choice as an internationally renowned illustrator whose characters you just want to pick up and cuddle.

Everyone, at some stage of their life, is touched by grief and loss. And everyone deals with these emotions in their own way. My Little Star offers a way for readers of all ages, 3 years and above, to accept their grief, reflect and remember.  

Rosie the Rhinoceros

Rosie the Rhinoceros by Jimmy Barnes & Matt Shanks (Harper Collins Children’s Books) PB RRP $19.99 ISBN 978 1 460758854

Reviewed by Karen Hendriks

Rosie is a fun-loving rhinoceros who starts each day with joy and wonder. She creates smiles wherever she goes and spreads her happy magic. Perhaps, she really is a magical unicorn and not a rhinoceros.

 

Jimmy Barnes has created such a joyful story that it really does make you smile. You can’t not help but not fall in love with Rosie. Her happy, vibrant personality and strong sense of self is sure to inspire any child to want to stay true to themselves. I love the strong message of this book. It really doesn’t really matter what anyone else thinks about you, it’s what you think that counts.

 

Barnes has created this story with a charming mix of short and long sentences. His voice is delightful, and the dialogue shows us so much about Rosie as she goes on her morning walks. ‘Isn’t this morning exquisite?’  I do like the wisdom of the other animals who concede that Rosie really is a unicorn. How could she possibly not be? This story has multiple layers, appeals both to a younger child who will believe Rosie really is a unicorn and to an older child who will understand that Rosie is one because she believes she is. The title of this book is perfect and will attract traffic to a bookshelf. Rosie the Rhinoceros has much heart and is told well.

 

Matt Shanks’ illustrations are perfect; the main colour choice could not be anything but pink. It captures not only the essence of the story about Rosie, but also the eye of the reader. The endpapers are pink with an adorable little Rosie dancing across the bottom of the pages. Inside the book the bright yellow, title page sings that the story is about to begin. The colour palette of purples, pinks, white and soft earthy yellows, and greens match the text. Shanks conveys so much about Rosie with just a few strokes that is it is masterful. The other animals are soft, cuddly, and adorable too. A little bird journeys through the story with Rosie and adds not only another character but shows that Rosie is never alone on her quest to being herself.

 

Rosie the Rhinoceros is a picture book for 3 years and up. This is a book that would make a perfect gift for a child to learn about staying true to yourself. When we feel we are being our authentic selves that’s when we are the happiest in this world. I can see parents, teachers and libraries loving this book.