The Mysteries of Corkuparipple Creek

The Mysteries of Corkuparipple Creek by Susan Pease, illustrated by Olivia Pease (Little Steps Publishing)

HB RRP $29.95

ISBN: 9781925117592

Reviewed by Anne Hamilton

This lavishly produced hardcover volume with gold-embossed cloth spine and ribbon page marker is a uniquely different offering in children’s books.

 

With sly overtones of Alice-in-Wonderland — is the first story in the book all a dream? — it mixes a significant environmental message with oodles of toilet and bum humour! It’s also got echoes of Narnia in that a great deal of time spent in one place is next-to-nothing back home.

 

There’s a dream-like wackiness to the characters — the Slurp-it-Downs and the Gulp-a-Waters are particularly memorable for their incessant throwing of insults and devotion to the art of the unsubtle putdown. These are races of strange critters who live on the banks of Corkuparipple Creek in the Aussie bush and who, in the best fairytale tradition, are only visible to selected folk.

 

Ten-year-old Jo encounters them one day while brainstorming a subject for an essay exam. One of the first things she sees is the Slurp-it-Downs and Gulp-a-Waters making snot glue — which later turns out to have healing, restorative properties (a chapter not to be read on a queasy stomach, to be sure!)

 

The book is divided into two separate but interconnected stories — Corkuparipple Creek and Worlds Apart. The second tale is largely set in Scotland and involves dark elves, time travel and (spoiler alert!) a bunyip who saves the day. It’s only in the second tale that it becomes likely the first story, which ended on the possibility that Jo’s initial adventures were all a dream, did really occur. There are some anachronisms in the book such as the use of ‘miles’, instead of ‘kilometres’.

 

Kids who love lots of references to things coming out of different body orifices will probably enjoy this huge volume with its full-colour illustrations throughout and its bright centrespread.

Zoo in Me

Zoo in Me by Susan Pease, illustrated by Olivia Pease (Little Steps Publishing)
HB RRP $24.95
ISBN 9781921928956
Reviewed by Vicki Stanton

Zoo in Me is a story and an alphabet book rolled into one. Friends Kat and Toby meet for a play date  All the essential ingredients are gathered: chocolate cake, crayons and paper, big and small blocks, and, best of all, animal dress-ups.

The two friends have a dress-up race to the end of the alphabet. Not only do they dress-up as an animal but they also choose an emotion, thought or action. There's everything from interested iguanas to racy rabbits! Both children try hard to win the race and discover that there's a reason for their different moods. Toby holds a drawing in front of his tummy and says, 'If you x-ray me, you will see ... (t)here are lots of animals in me.' Kat agrees, declaring that 'there is a zoo in me.'

Created by a mother and daughter team, Susan Pease's text is engaging and eleven-year-old Olivia Pease's illustrations are quirky and fun. Young children are sure to spend much time poring over them, pointing out such inclusions as the blocks which spell out the animals' names.

Zoo in Me is beautifully presented in hardback with quality paper and would make a lovely gift.

I Can See Faces

I Can See Faces by Susan Pease, illustrated by Olivia Pease (Little Steps Publishing)

HB RRP $24.95

ISBN 9780980723793

Reviewed by Emma Cameron

Written to encourage children to dream and to encourage adults to release their inner child, the text begins by telling readers “Toby liked all types of faces.”  He sees them everywhere: on carpet, in his breakfast cereal and Vegemite jar, in trees, at the beach and in bubbles at bath time. Some faces, however, he does not like. Those he sees at bedtime “poke their tongues at him and peak from behind curtains”, causing him to hide under his doona.

Mum says, ‘They could be fairies.” However, like everyone else, she can never see them or any of the faces Toby sees. And there are many. Sad, mad, bold and brave, but mostly happy and smiley. Readers follow Toby while he points out faces to his mum, dad, sister, grandfather, dog, cat, fish and rubber duck.  Each time, a repeated refrain tells readers that “nobody else could see them”.

Thankfully Toby is still so young he never stops looking for and seeing faces everywhere. My favourites are those in the bubbles, the carpet and the coat stand. When readers learn that Toby’s favourite faces are those he sees in the clouds the page is turned to reveal that this seems to be universal, ending the story with the line “Guess what, everybody could see them all.”

The eleven-year-old illustrator uses a delightful blend of paint, crayon and collage to form a vivid variety of colourful scenes. Much thought has been put into bringing faces to life in everyday objects. Likewise, collage is cleverly used to represent items like trees, beach umbrellas, clothes, curtains and rugs. The end papers, differ between beginning and end, capturing the spirit of the story beautifully. Though suitable for 3-6 year olds the illustrations may well appeal to readers of any age.