Cass and the Beast (Claire Mabey, illus Jill Calder, Gecko Press)

In Claire Mabey’s Cass and the Beast, a young girl, Cass, fears the townsfolk more than the creature they call Beast. She empathises with the creature, offering bread to assuage its hunger. In return, the beast takes Cass on a fevered ride through the night, flying past pyramids and an erupting volcano. Along the way, it captures long-eared hares and crunches their bones. Cass rides the beast home, where she renames it Bear.

Mabey has created a surreal tale of creatures from dreams and nightmares, and what it looks like when children choose not to be afraid. Jill Calder’s illustrations have an expressionistic style. Her artwork is detailed yet loose, alternating between wordless and text-filled spreads. The free-flowing lines and layered textures increase the sense of wild motion throughout Cass’s journey with the beast. Calder predominantly uses blue, accented with orange, purple and pink, creating a pulsating palette that suggests thrills and excitement and boosts the reader’s courage to explore the illustrations.

Cass and the Beast is a picture book that affirms the introverted, misunderstood or compassionate child who relishes an imaginative adventure or is brave enough to take risks in real life. While the publisher’s recommended readership is ages 4 to 8, some children may find its darker imagery confronting.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Joy Lawn has worked for independent bookshops and blogs at Paperbark Words. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.

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