The Rescue Ark

The Rescue Ark by Susan Hall, illustrated by Naomi Zouwer (NLA)

PB RRP $18.99

ISBN 9780642278104

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

It’s the children that discover the pollution and damage to the environment, and therefore to the habitats of many Australian wildlife. They decide to build an ark and travel around the country, collecting two of each species to protect, until their homes are cleaned up.

We follow the trail the children take around Australia with their ark, on a map which indicates where each of the twenty animals represented, can be found. The delightful, detailed illustrations of each animal pair are presented within circles, giving the impression that the reader is looking through a window. This is set against a coloured background.

Stunning plates from the National Library of Australia’s collection are included at the end with an informational block that carries a description of each animal, how they live etc, if they are endangered, critically endangered, or vulnerable. This is followed by a List of Illustrations with the archive details included as always.

This is another outstanding production from the NLA that again, both entertains and educates. It promotes awareness of the environment and the need to protect our endangered native species. These subtle persuasions come wrapped in the entertaining sing-song rhyming verse of the animals went in two by two that will stay in children’s minds.   

What's Dad Doing?

What’s Dad Doing? by Susan Hall, illustrated by Cheryl Westenberg (National Library of Australia)

PB RRP $17.99

ISBN 978-0-642-27834-7

Reviewed by Emma Cameron

Opening with “Pat Possum and is friend Wesley Wombat are looking for Pat’s Dad”, gives readers a sound starting point and raises their interest. Pat and Wesley are dressed in capes, with Pat carrying a toy sword, and they want Dad to come and play. But like many fathers, Dad has jobs to do. The boys must amuse themselves between repeated searches for him.

As readers lift the flap on each page they will see what Dad does.

Ringtails are the only possums where Dad helps Mum look after the baby. Pat’s dad is excellent at all sorts of jobs. He make’s Pat’s lunch, feeds the baby, serves Grandma a cuppa, hangs washing, cooks dinner and sweeps the floor. Before lifting the flap we see Pat’s thoughts as he repeats “I wonder if he’s …”.

When the work is done, the narrator steps back in to tell us, “Pat Possum’s Dad is ready to play now”. Dad says, “Let’s play footy together” and a turn of the page reveals that the story is done. Leaving Pat behind we see a new, non-fiction possum make his entrance. He has two double-page spreads to tell his story, accompanied by visuals of him in his natural setting.

This character says “Hi, nice to meet you, I’m a ringtail possum just like Pat!” He then tells some facts about himself, including where he lives, what he eats, how he lived in Mum’s pouch when he was younger, and what he uses his tail for. It’s a nice way of providing young readers with some non-fiction basics about a native animal.

Brightly coloured illustrations in Pat’s section show kids, parents and grandparent in ways all of us will connect with. While Mum is tied to baby for the most part, Dad steps up to take on a great load and this is also something that young children who have a new baby in the house will relate to. High quality paper will, hopefully, let readers lift-the-flap many times.

10 Bush Babies

10 Bush Babies by Susan Hall, illustrated by Naomi Zouwer (National Library of Australia)
HB RRP $ 12.99
ISBN 9780642277695
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Ten Australian bush babies have gone to school where Mrs Roo is the teacher. But they decide to play a trick on her. Each time Mrs Roo rings the bell – ding-ding-ding-ding, one less animal appears. Who has gone missing? It’s up to the reader to check the animals and find who the missing one is. There is a hint at the bottom of the page to help discover the answer. To wind up their clever game, the bush babies have a surprise for Mrs Roo at the end.

It’s a countdown but also a counting up of Australian animals.

With their usual talented flair and insight, the authors and illustrators at the NLA have created another educational and simultaneously entertaining book for children featuring Australian animals while learning to count.

The delightful watercolour illustrations that accompany the text are charming. The book is produced in sturdy board with shiny pages that can easily withstand the frequent turning by small hands.

The Tale of Kyla Koala

The Tale of Kyla Koala by Susan Hall, illustrated by Ben Guy

(National Library of Australia) 

HB RRP $14.95

ISBN 978-0-642-27726-8

Reviewed by Emma Cameron

When Kyla Koala is caught in her very first bushfire ever, none of the other animals help her. They all simply flee. Unsure of which direction to take, Kyla does her best. Sadly, it’s not enough to prevent burnt paws. Through dialogue of the Uprights, readers learn that the only thing that saved her was what saved the Uprights and their homes; good fortune of wind changing in time.

A young girl, distressed because her dolly was burnt in the barn, discovers Kyla and sees her burnt paws. Though the girl’s parents say she can’t keep Kyla as a pet, they do help her tend to Kyla’s burns. Kyla’s repeated attempts to escape are thwarted by the young Upright who is desperate to keep her and it is only when Kyla finally succeeds in escape that a compromise found.

Hungry Kyla is unable to return home or to find food where she used to as all is blackened, but nearer the Upright’s home is a tree that will be suitable. When the little girl sits under the tree sobbing at her loss, Kyla climbs the tree and settles in it to munch on some leaves. The young girl understands it is these leaves, and the tree as a home, that mean Kyla is likely to stay nearby. Happy that they will be neighbours, the girl stops trying to keep Kyla trapped.

One of four in the Animal Tales series, the tale shows early settlers caring for injured native fauna and shows how they learnt about the life of the native animals. Besides incorporating small facts into the story, the book also ends with pictures showing some of the early paintings done by early settlers and how much they got wrong first up!

Story illustrations by Ben Guy are accurate presentations and capture the frantic dilemma native animals are threatened with when natural elements of our environment hit hard.  His illustrations also show farms and homes of early settlers interspersed between bush scenery, as it truly would have been in the early days. From the scenic Australian end papers to stylish cloth case and jacket, this is a beautiful production.

The Tale of Kaz Kangaroo

The Tale of Kaz Kangaroo by Susan Hall, illustrated by Ben Guy

(National Library of Australia) 

HB RRP $14.95

ISBN 978-0-642-27729-9

Reviewed by Emma Cameron

Leaning out of Mother’s pouch one day, Kaz spots an interesting shape out to sea that’s heading for land. She hops a very long way, further than she has ever been on her own, to reach the beach and investigate this apparition. She thinks it may be a whale, until she spots Uprights crawling all over it and realises she should return home. Sadly, she can not remember which way home is.

The Uprights, who are setting up camp on land, try to catch Kaz. When fear takes hold and paralyzes her, all the Uprights try to work out what this strange creature is. It’s not a dog, a deer or a gigantic rat! One of them tries to draw her. When Kaz’s mum shows up, Kaz disappears into Mum’s pouch. The Uprights are amazed and, although wary of Mum’s size, they crowd around.

Kaz feels safe enough in Mum’s pouch to pop her head out and this makes one Upright order the others to back away, meaning Kaz and Mum can get home. One of four in the Animal Tales series, this tiny hardback explores the reaction of Europeans to our native fauna when they first came to Australia. Uniquely, it does this via the viewpoint and experiences of each creature; in this case, Kaz.

Young readers will enjoy the initial story about Kaz and, as they grow up and learn more about the world around them and our history, they will see into more of the issues faced by early settlers and our native animals when they first met. Besides incorporating small facts into the story, the book ends with pictures showing some of the early paintings done by early settlers; most interesting, as they got a lot wrong first up!

Story illustrations by Ben Guy are accurate presentations of our kangaroos and illustrations of the ship and the early settlers are a step into the past. From the scenic Australian end papers to the stylish cloth case and jacket, this is a quality production, and a percentage of proceeds goes to the RSPCA.

The Tale of Peek Platypus

The Tale of Peek Platypus by Susan Hall, illustrated by Ben Guy (National Library of Australia) 

HB RRP $14.95

ISBN 978-0-642-27728-2

Reviewed by Emma Cameron

As the sun sets on a beautiful day, Peek swims in the river and spots a strange thing swishing back and forth above him. It’s a scoop net and he is picked up in it by ‘Uprights’. The humans peer into the net and argue over what Peek is (duck, beaver, valuable fish). It becomes obvious to readers these humans have no idea. They pop Peek into a bucket of water with a lid so he can’t escape.

One of the humans thinks Peek could be worth a fortune. A kinder, gentler one thinks he belongs in the water. Once the humans are far enough away from Peek, a curious dingo disturbs the bucket and Peek is able to reach the water. There is a close call as the greedy Upright pulls him back but the dingo does not give up and the kind, gentle human is relieved to see Peek swim away.

One of four in the Animal Tales series that explores the reaction of Europeans to our native fauna when they first came to Australia, this is a tiny, hard backed treasure. Young readers will enjoy this book for the initial story about the animal but, as they grow up and learn more about the world around them and our history, they will see into more of the issues faced by early settlers and native animals. Explanatory notes at the books end will help with this.

Like all books in the series, this one includes beautiful bush scenes that show animals in their peaceful, natural setting. Scenic end papers and a stylish cloth case and jacket finish off this quality production. The last pages include pictures of the early paintings done by early settlers; most interesting, as they got a lot wrong first up! Story illustrations by Ben Guy are far more accurate presentations of the creatures we know so much about now.

Ten Bush Babies

Ten Bush Babies by Susan Hall,  illustrated by Naomi Zouwer (National Library of Australia)

PB RRP $17.95

ISBN – 978-0-642-27732-9
Reviewed by Emma Cameron

Giving a delightfully Australian twist to the well-known rhyme of Five Little Ducks, this version sees Mother Duck replaced with Mrs Roo, who takes on the role of the bush animals’ teacher. Rather than ducklings wandering out each day, it’s ten bush babies who go out “Into the sun to jump and play.” When Mrs Roo rings her bell, “ding-ding-ding-ding”, one less baby returns each day.

Given that there are ten different babies to begin with, readers will delight in perusing the illustrations to see who failed to return that day. Lifting the flap confirms whether readers are correct. It also reveals that the bush baby hasn’t simply vanished but has, in fact, headed off for a specific purpose, showing readers something about the characteristics and habits of that creature. Written on the back of each flap is also an interesting fact about the animal.

The sing-song rhyme and repetition of refrains are things that children aged two to five will easily latch on to and the lift-the-flap design is most inviting. This well thought out, quality production has fun and lively pastel illustrations of our native animals in their natural habitat. At the very end are duplicates of paintings done by Jon Gould, a naturalist who came to Australia in 1838.

Showcasing our wombat, echidna, koala, possum, bilby, platypus, kangaroo, quoll, dingo and emu, this book is perfect for Australian children, a must for pre-schools, and will make a beaut souvenir for visitors or a unique and special gift for overseas friends and relatives. From counting how many animals are left, to identifying each one, working out which is missing, and learning facts about them, this book gives much to do and is sure to be a favourite.

The Tale of Wil Wombat

The Tale of Wil Wombat by Susan Hall, illustrated by Ben Guy (National Library of Australia)

HB RRP $14.95

ISBN 978-0-642-27727-5

Reviewed by Emma Cameron

When Wil asks what the strange white shapes between the trees are, his mother says, “They’re the Uprights’ inside-out burrows.” Despite her warnings to stay away from the bushmen that she refers to as Uprights, Wil’s inquisitive nature sees him getting close enough to be trapped under a wooden box. And his captor calls to his mate Bill to get the fire roaring so they can have a cook-up!

This tiny, hard-backed treasure, is one of four in the Animal Tales series, and explores the reaction of Europeans to our native fauna when they first came to Australia. Uniquely, it does this via the viewpoint and experiences of each creature; in this case, Wil Wombat. His sturdy physical attributes and natural ability to dig are what saves him from becoming someone’s dinner.

A major strength of the series is its longevity, as young readers will enjoy it for the initial story about the animal but, as they grow up and learn more about the world around them and our history, they will see into more of the issues faced by early settlers. The book also shows how early settlers didn’t know what to make of creatures they had not seen before.

Besides incorporating small facts into the story, each book also ends with pictures showing some of the early paintings done by early settlers; most interesting, as they got a lot wrong first up! Story illustrations by Ben Guy are far more accurate presentations of the creatures we know so much about now.

There is something beautifully special about the bush scenes throughout, and the antics of the creatures and the ‘Uprights’ as the wombats know them. Humans and wombats, however, seemed to muddle through being exposed to one another well enough. From the scenic Australian end papers to the stylish cloth case and jacket, this is a quality production.