Inside the Australian and New Zealand book industry

Image. Advertisement:

9 Things to Remember (and one to forget) (Alison Binks, Berbay)

This picture book opens with a girl relaxing on a hammock somewhere in the forest, along with the words, ‘If you sleep outside remember that birds wake up very early to sing.’ Except for the nocturnal owl, of course, ‘the big, swooping one’ that’s just settling down for the day, tuckered out after hunting all night. Alison Binks’s sweet paean to nature and wildlife continues in this vein, urging young readers to notice small details they may have otherwise missed: the squiggly lines on the sand made by a soft padded creature in its shell, or how gracefully the pelican skims the water (without wetting its belly). The unseen, all-knowing narrator also points out some interesting facts: in some desert locations, frogs can hibernate for years until they hear the thrum of rain; trees can live a lot longer than people. This is a gentle book and the soft watercolour illustrations complement its tone. It’s about being at one with nature and how we are all interconnected, humans and animals, in this beautiful ecosystem we all call home. 9 Things to Remember is sure to stoke preschoolers’ and early primary readers’ curiosity in the natural world.

Thuy On is a freelance arts journalist and reviewer, and the books editor of the Big Issue.

 

Category: Junior Reviews