Cato’s Can Can

Cato’s Can Can by Juliet Sampson & Katrina Fisher (Ford Street Publishing) PB RRP $24.95 ISBN 978 1 925804768

Reviewed by Karen Hendriks

Cato the cockatoo loves to dance. But he can’t find a dance partner friend. Along the way he makes some unexpected discoveries about friendship and dance.

Juliet Sampson has used patterning, repetition, and onomatopoeia to create a great read aloud picture book. She uses days of the week as a pattern, and a child will love joining in with the story as they anticipate the next day. On Monday, he spies a dancer, spinning like a lyrebird. Spin! Spin! Spin!  Children will enjoy doing the actions that go with the words. This is clever as it not only creates interaction, but the child is able to anticipate both the word and dance action.

The story introduces different types of Australian birds and links a dance to their natural movement. On Thursday, he sees four dancers twirl and leap like brolgas. Leap! Leap! Leap! Once Cato discovers the dance school he decides to go inside, and this introduces more learning about dance. In hip-hop class they spin, spin, spin. Bop! Bop! In jazz class they bop, bop, bop. I love how the story encourages a child to think about a dance they might like. The use of strong verbs makes this text shine. Sampson has created a book that celebrates the fun and freedom of dancing with a lovable character.

Katrina Fisher’s bright yellow cover is not only eye-catching but matches the bright vibrant world of dance. Immediately, we see Cato on the cover and music. Anyone who loves music and dance will be drawn to this book. Fisher’s ability to showcase the dance movements of both the birds and children is beautifully and realistically done. She has captured the vibrant personality of Cato as a cockatoo and realistically created cockatoo movements. I love the simplicity of the white backgrounds with the drawings and watercolours allowing the movements of dance to shine across the spreads. We see zooms in and out to give different perspectives. Katrina Fisher is brilliant at capturing personality with facial expressions and body movements. I love the double spread where the four dancers leap like brolgas. The brolgas and children stand beside each other and mirror the same graceful movements and flexibility. She captures the joyfulness of dance and self-expression. The illustrations compliment the text beautifully and add layered meaning to the story.

Cato’s Can Can is a bright and happy read for children 3-6 years. It is a perfect gift for any child who is interested in dance. I can see this book being used in preschools and primary schools as a great teacher resource. This is a book that is lots of fun and clever.

Emu’s Halloween

Emu’s Halloween written by Anne Mangan, illustrated by David Cornish (Harper Collins) HBK RRP $14.99   ISBN 9780732298906

                                                                                                           

Reviewed by Sharon McGuinness

Poor Emu was having a Halloween party but couldn’t seem to come up with some scary ideas. Luckily, Cockatoo overheard his dismay and rallied the other animals to help.

With Echidna dressed as Dracula, Koala as Frankenstein’s monster and Kangaroo as a zombie, the party was sure to be a success.

As a team, the animals set to work making a witches brew, dips with pretend flies, cutting out paper ghosts and bats to ensure a thoroughly scary party.

David Cornish’s brilliant illustrations are the perfect complement to this rhyming tale. 

It gives an Australian flavour to a usually American holiday and will be a hit in the lead up to Halloween. The party game and craft ideas enjoyed by the animals could also be replicated easily, should families or even a class decide to hold their own Halloween party.

Bush Rescue: Pup Patrol #2

Bush Rescue: Pup Patrol #2 by Darrel and Sally Odgers (Scholastic Press)

PB RRP $9.99

ISBN 978-1-74362-300-8

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

James and Stamp are on the road again but this time they are joined in the Fourby 4WD by new friend Ace, a mixed breed of Terrier with no manners. It is up to Barnaby Station Stamp Of Approval - Stamp for short - and his master James to teach Ace how to behave.

But before they can travel too far a new arrival flies in through the window and perches on the seat next to Ace. Stamp is happy to talk to someone new but Ace is not so sure about Daisy Ado the Cockatoo so James decides on a detour through the next town to find her owner.

In town, there is a smell of smoke in the air and the local vet asks James and Stamp to help look after all the animals being brought in by worried owners as a bushfire moves closer. Will the town have to evacuate? Can they find Daisy Ado's owner in time?

This is a lovely new Australian series for young readers and animal lovers. The adventure and excitement is balanced by the humour and the really likeable, engaging characters. Each animal in the story has a wonderful name along with their own unique personality. In this emergency situation there are all sorts of animals together who wouldn't usually mingle and it makes for fabulous and humorous conversation.

More difficult words or dogisms are printed in bold and can be found in Stamp’s Glossary at the end of every chapter. Many challenging words within this story are words which relate to emergencies and bushfires.

Great for early readers (6 years and over),  Bush Rescue is filled with lovely black and white illustrations including adorable pictures of Stamp the Border Collie and Ace, the Terrier. The gentle humour is often in the play between animal and human, or the talk amongst the animals. The relationship between Stamp and his master James is a lovely one. 

There is a sensible, rather than sensational, approach to bushfires, safety and pet care. The Australian flavour feels comfortable within the setting, story and language.