My First Book of Aussie Birds (Gordon Winch, illus by Stephen Pym, Catch a Star)
Bright and colourful, lively and engaging, lift-the-flap board book My First Book of Aussie Birds contains a magical menagerie of unique native birds waiting to be discovered by little hands. Much-loved author Gordon Winch, known for his humorous Australiana books such as Can You Find Me? and Koala Sees the World, delights with a new book that invites babies and toddlers to carefully observe and evaluate textual and visual information. Posing the repetitive, rhyming question, ‘Look at me. What do you see?’ beside each flap, the book encourages children to interact in a captivating game. Wildlife illustrator Stephen Pym’s stunningly detailed watercolour, acrylic and pencil art combines sweeping Australian landscapes with microscopic ecosystems, with adorably realistic birds hiding underneath each flap. Every page reveals not just bite-sized facts about kookaburras, cockatoos, emus, powerful owls or fairywrens, but also eye-catching representations of their habitats—educating young minds about both fauna and flora. A surprise ending will prompt readers to discover even more by using their keen observation skills! My First Book of Aussie Birds provides an enlightening interactive and sensory experience, beautifully introducing children from birth to three years to their first nonfiction narrative with our unique Australian wildlife.
Romi Sharp is a picture book writer and digital marketer for children’s authors and publishers.
