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Dance, Bilby, Dance (Tricia Oktober, Ford Street)

Dance, Bilby, Dance by author-illustrator and environmentalist Tricia Oktober is an energetic tale for pre-schoolers about a resourceful bilby who is determined to find his groove. At first a stumbling heap, Bilby is surrounded by dancing leaves, whirling willy-willies, bouncing min-min lights and prancing emus. This inspires him to come up with his own interpretative moves and soon he is gamboling with his own shadow and flapping homemade leaf wings. A ‘scary’ bunyip arrives and interrupts Bilby’s fun, but the gentle tone of the book somewhat diminishes the dramatic impact. A satisfying ending sees the pair unite in a harmonious jive. Oktober’s charming watercolour and line illustrations are set against a white background, effectively showcasing the dancing Bilby and enriching the minimal text. The illustrations are bouncy, joyous and sweet, and will entice readers to join in the jig. This is a simple, cheerful story of self-expression, creativity, persistence and friendship. It also touches on environmental themes, encouraging early childhood readers to explore botany and light and shadow.

Romi Sharp is a teacher, writer and reviewer

 

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Category: Junior newsletter Review list Reviews