I Need a Parrot

I Need a Parrot by Chris Mc Kimmie (Ford Street Publishing) HB RRP $24.95 ISBN 9781925804294

Reviewed by Karen Hendriks

I Need a Parrot is a picture book full of word play and quirky illustrations that shine. The simplicity of the text in this story allows the visual narrative to sing and play. Just like a comedian says one word, then pulls a face creating laughter. A boy wants and needs a parrot and not anything else. But is this what a parrot wants? What the boy thinks a parrot wants and needs is not the same as a parrot’s needs. That is what this book is all about.

Mc Kimmie has cleverly used visual perspective and white space to great advantage. The voice of the boy is throughout the text and the voice of the parrot is throughout the illustrations. The tone of the whole book is quirky and fun. I particularly love the double spread with no words, and a sky-blue sky with a parrot in the top right-hand corner flying away.

This is a book for children aged 3 to 8 years. It will be well received by both children, parents and teachers. I love that this is a story that is so open, creating lots of thought and imagination. This book shows the genius of a picture book. It tells a story well and leaves the child with much to think about.

The New Dog

The New Dog by Chris McKimmie (Ford St Publishing) HB RRP $24.95 ISBN 9781922696038

Reviewed by Kerry Gittins

Chris McKimmie has a knack of being able to capture the essence of a story with language and images that are simple yet also have an underlying complexity that goes beyond what is on the page. His latest picture book is no exception.  

In The New Dog we meet Kiddo. Kiddo is very happy with the two snuggly futon beds, the water and food bowls, the king size bed he shares with his humans and the box full of stuff that Teddy has left behind. From this very first page Chris McKimmie reveals another layer to the story and gives us a subtle insight into the reason Kiddo has become part of this family. Kiddo loves to chew, dig, play, bark and eat anything left lying around or within reach on the kitchen bench! He’s also afraid of storms, hates baths and loves lying in the warm patches of sunshine in his yard. All the things you would expect from a loveable canine.

McKimmie’s illustrations are a joy with bright colours and a slightly imperfect perspective that children love and see reflected in their own artwork. There are clever plays on text direction and font changes which add to the fun and involvement for the reader. This warm and engaging story is a must have for anyone who has ever lost a canine friend and then experienced the delight of welcoming a new, playful, mischievous and instantly loveable family companion.

Chris McKimmie is an award-winning writer, illustrator, and artist whose book I NEED A Parrot, won the CBCA Picture Book of the Year Award in 2020. His stories are always quirky, eye catching and totally relatable for younger readers. The New Dog, aimed at readers aged 4 +, could almost be seen as a sequel to Me, Teddy, the story of the family’s beloved black Labrador, and would make a wonderful addition to any collection of animal stories.

 

Supporting teaching themes could include animals, dogs, loss of a pet, families, and grief.