Catch that Plane! (Sally Sutton, illus by Sylvie Currin Korankova, Walker Books)

If they’re lucky, most kids will have the chance to travel through the clouds, and Sally Sutton’s new book is a great introduction not only to plane etiquette but also to the mysteries behind the workings of the airport. Sutton begins the book with an air of frenetic energy, with a family dashing to the airport in their red car: ‘Plane at the gate, a-ready and a-steady. I hope it’s going to wait. We’re as late as can be!’ The family hustle to check in, with bags and hats flying in the air as they race to deposit their belongings at the departure counter. Children aged three and above will enjoy the rhymes, which include ‘a-kissing and a-missing’ and ‘a-beeping and a-sweeping’. Catch that Plane! follows the typical airport procedural, so toddlers and preschoolers can learn about sniffer dogs, passing through security gates and the aerobridge. At the back of the book there’s a short glossary of ‘reminder words’ that adults can use to explain to little ones about travelators or scanners. Sylvie Currin Korankova’s illustrations are bright and sketchy, and their rough, unfinished style adds to the hurried mood. This is a fun, breezy book that would be particularly good for nervous travellers on their very first plane trip.

Thuy On is a Melbourne-based reviewer and the books editor of the Big Issue