Walking the rock country in Kakadu: Karrire kundenge karribolknan kunwarddehwardde by Diane Lucas, Ben Tyler and Emma Long
Allen & Unwin, 2024. ISBN: 9781761067860. (Age:5+) Highly recommended.
A magnificent sweep of the rock country of the Kakadu National Park, from the creators of Walking in Gagudju Country: Exploring the Monsoon Forest. Kakadu is a beautiful part of the Northern Territory, made national park generations ago and held as a highly esteemed part of the panorama of Australia. Using Kundjeyhmi language, one of the Bininj Kunwok languages of Kakadu and western Arnhem Land, grounds the story within the communities of Kakadu, giving the readers the opportunity of seeing these words in print and an encouraging prod to try them out for themselves. A stunning glossary at the end of the book gives the meanings of the words used, along with an illustration.
The book opens with an invitation to walk with the authors through the Kakadu, in yekke, the early dry season. The title page has a bird’s eye view of Kakadu with the names of the five language groups who live there while the verso has a map of where Kakadu is. A great way of aligning the reader with two views of the area. From then on fabulous views of Kakadu and its environs, flora and fauna are given. Loads of information is told as we walk through the landscape, with small pictures given where language is used. Along the way, stories from the Elders are included, giving a sense of the ancient nature of the area.
The sweep of the book is incredible as the family sees a pool where the karliki (native fish) are being replaced by the cane toad, and then to the rock shelters where they can see for miles over the landscape, spotting smoke rising in the distance and then to a cave where images on the walls show stories from the past, a history book there for all to read, including an image of a thylacine, long vanished from Australia.
Ben Tyler and Diane Lucas share stories, knowledge, and an all-embracing love of the land on this walk through one of Australia's most ancient and beautiful ecosystems, introducing good things to eat and how to catch then cook them. Hints on being a good tourist are included, where the children clean up their campsite and make sure nothing is left to show where they were. Each part of their journey shows another aspect of Aboriginal life here: the seasonal gathering of food, the knowledge of when to burn off the grasses, what the flowers tell them, and a host of things that tell us all about protecting this wonderful environment, brought to the page by Emma Long and her illustrations. Here is a vast horizon of seasons, landscapes, animals, birds and fish, caves, and paintings. Each double page is breathtaking in its coverage, as each page has a host of things to look for, to seek out and discuss. Each page offers far more than seems possible, so detailed are the illustrations. I loved looking closely at places I had heard about, then was wowed over again at the endpapers.
A stunning book which encourages all of us to walk together and engender a greater understanding of Kakadu.
Following the award winning In the blink of an eye by Jo Callaghan, comes another thriller starring DCS Kat Frank and AIDE Lock. This time they are called to the gruesome scene of a man crucified on top of a hill. They begin to investigate trying to work out how the body got there and who was involved when another body is found. It is a race to find the killer. With a media frenzy covering the murders and her Chief pressing for a conclusion to the case, Kat and Lock must prove that a combination of human experience and AI logic will uncover the killer’s motive and expose them.
Kat and Lock have been working on cold cases and Kat is eager to try to solve a current murder case. She combines with Aide Lock, as well as Professor Okenado, the creator of the AI detective and DI Hassan and DS Browne to follow clues to the mystery. The characters are well developed and relatable and add depth to the police procedural. There are twists and turns that keep the reader glued to the page and the final denouement is breathtaking.
I really enjoyed the idea of an AI detective doing work in minutes that would take detectives hours to do, while Kat still triumphs with her understanding of human behaviour and the necessity to put human life first. I look forward to more in this unique series.
Fans of romantasies will be thrilled with The dagger and the flame and are sure to eagerly await the next in the series. The kingdom of Fantome is a strange wondrous place where Shade-magic is used by two enemy guilds, The Cloaks and the Daggers, the thieves and the assassins. After the murder of her mother, 17-year-old Seraphine leaves her farm and runs for her life to the home of the Cloaks, an order of thieves, and the place her mother told her she would find shelter. She is pursued by a dark-haired boy, Ransom, who has been ordered to assassinate her. Will he succeed in his wicked quest? Will Seraphine survive and avenge her mother’s murder?
Told in the voice of Sera and Ransom, the reader gets to know the motivation and skills of these two protagonists. The reader is dragged into the story right from the first chapter as Sera flees the scene of her mother’s murder. From then on, the tension is high as Ransom attempts to kill her, and she uses all her skill and magical power to repulse him. Gradually they begin to understand each other, with a slow burn enemies to lovers romance that will delight people who enjoy this trope.
The world of Fantome is unique. Shade-magic is fascinating and the idea of two guilds using it for nefarious purposes is engrossing. It is easy to overlook the morality of what is done as the action and tension of monsters and assassins stalking the streets is ramped so high by the author that the reader gets carried along. And then there is that cliff-hanger ending!
Fans of Leigh Bardugo, MA Carrick, and Lili Wilkinson, as well as readers of the romantasy genre are likely to enjoy this fast-paced story, although a spicy scene in the middle of a battle may make it more appropriate for older teens.
Sleepy Sheepy and the sheepover by Lucy Ruth Cummins. Illus. by Pete Oswald
Walker Books, 2024. ISBN: 9781760658953. (Age:3+)
The big day for Sleepy Sheep’s first sleepover comes around. Sleepy is very excited and packs a little more than he needs. His backpack is stuffed full, his overnight case bulges, but off he goes off to his grandparents’ place, and his two favourite people. After his parents leave he feels a little sad, but cannot say why. Things feel very different and when he goes to bed, he finds his pjs do not match and the blankets are scratchy, and he cannot fall asleep. His grandparents sit with him watching TV and they fall asleep.
They bring out an old book that his father loved as a child, and they read it to Sleepy, munching on his favourite biscuits and dancing to the beat of the music. After all that exercise and stories and food, Sleepy is tucked into his bed with all the toys he brought with him for company. The blankets were still a little scratchy but being tucked in tightly makes him feel right at home.
In rhyming lines, the story will gather readers as they see what happens on an overnight stay. Many children will have been on a sleepover and be able to share their experiences, and for the ones who have not yet slept somewhere else, the story will ease any concerns they may have. Bouncy and full of wit and charm, the story outlines Sleepy’s initial concerns which result in him taking a few too many things with him for his sleepover. The pjs not matching does little to calm his unease.
All the things he is concerned about are very minor, but in some children’s eyes could be immense, and feed their feeling of unease at being away from home.
Readers will enjoy seeing Sleepy pack his overnight bag, wondering what they would take along to a sleepover, at the same time as laughing at what Sleepy packs. Children will enjoy predicting the rhyming words as they read along with an adult reader. They will also offer suggestions as to what Sleepy can do to allay his concerns, and what the grandparents could do to help him feel at ease.
Charming illustrations by California based illustrator, Oswald, will catch children’s imaginations seeing the image of the sheep at centre stage. Details on each page ground Sleepy and readers will love looking at the detail of city life.
New York based Cummins has written an assortment of books, The hungry lion appearing in 2016.
This is a terrific read aloud for bedtime, or any time.
Jy Goes for Gold is the first book in the Kimberley Kickers series about First Nations football players from both the AFL and AFLW who were born in the Kimberley in Western Australia. Gold Coast Suns star Jy Farrar is the first person showcased and his story is full of family, fun and football.
From the very beginning of this fast-paced story, the reader will be immersed in football. Written as a first person narrative, the reader has a ‘front row’ view of Jy describing his footy kicks, passages of play and his winning goals. All of this as a young person growing up with family on Country in the Kimberley. His closeness to his family and extended relations and their importance to his early life are evident throughout his story. There is always friendly competition and rivalry between cousins but their bonds are unbreakable.
Jy eventually moves onto boarding school where his two older brothers are, and his separation from his home Country is always in the background. He completes his schooling and graduates, and it is while he is back home again and playing local footy, his coach and his cousin, realise Jy has talent that can take him to the AFL draft and ultimately, the Gold Coast Suns.
Shared throughout this story are vivid details of life in the Kimberley, significant references to traditional and cultural places and beliefs, the importance of respecting Country, and the encouragement of family to believe that it is possible to achieve great things.
For those middle grade readers who find reading a long novel challenging, this engaging book, with images throughout, onomatopoeia, highlighted key words as well as abundant white space, may be one that will appeal to someone who loves sport and footy. The second book in the series about AFLW player Krstel Petrevski will be released in 2025. Teacher's notes are available.
Themes Kimberly WA, First Nations Culture, Community, Australian Rules Football, Family, Country, Biography.
Kathryn Beilby
Taronga presents: Party animals by Kristin Darell. Illus. by Laura Wood
Birthdays are always special but for Ollie and Sophia this one is extra special. It’s Ollie’s birthday and he has asked Sophia to share it with him at Taronga Western Plains Zoo. Ollie’s dad Max has driven them to the zoo for the day and as they are Taronga Zoo volunteers they have special-access passes to go wherever they are allowed. They have bikes organised for them and can ride all around the various habitats. As they are cycling along, Sophia and Ollie name the collective nouns for each group of animals they see; dazzle of zebras, mob of meerkats, conspiracy of lemurs, tower of giraffes (when standing still), journey of giraffes (when moving), crash of rhinos, coalition of cheetahs, memory of elephants and a bloat of hippos.
Sophia and Ollie are able to watch the vets working on a cheetah through the glass windows at the hospital and later on, a wedge-tailed eagle who has been injured. They also take part in an echidna enrichment where a first time failure leads to a successful second try and a valuable lesson for Sophia. During their time at the zoo, Sophia has been feeling quite anxious as her gift for Ollie has yet to arrive. She is distracted and keeps checking back with the office and Ollie is feeling disappointed. Sophia realises that her presence is really only the gift he wants and later apologises for her distraction.
One of Ollie’s birthday surprises includes a private feeding of the giraffe that loves carrots. But the biggest surprise of all is staying overnight at the Zoofari Lodge where they are able to observe the animals on the savannah and join a Sunrise Safari in the morning. For Ollie and Sophia this has been a memorable weekend for many reasons and when Sophia’s gift finally arrives, it is another wonderful surprise for Ollie.
Party Animals as well as the first book in the series, Poo at the Zoo, would make engaging class novels as the stories are highly entertaining, and shared throughout are so many valuable teaching moments that educators could expand on. The interesting facts presented all through each story as well as Ollie’s Fun Fact File could also lead to further research and discussion.
A knowledge of the ancient folkloric tale of Robin Hood is important background to the reading of Not for the faint of heart. Author Lex Croucher takes the reader back into the world of Sherwood Forest, rewriting the old tale from a queer, romantic and comedic stance that is nuanced and not without significant attention to values and causes. It makes for an unusual and thought-provoking read which offers a different to the mainstream (although not unheard-of) interpretation of the well-known characters.
Not for the faint of heart is set in the same Sherwood Forest, seemingly very little changed from the story we know in that it's still a land of deep dark forest and impoverished villages with hovels made of turf and medieval market towns with the wealthy living in castles. It's still a land where the divide between rich and poor is immensely unjust. The issues of social and economic injustice have not improved since Robin Hood and the Sheriff of Nottingham's day. Not for the faint of heart is set two generations into the future with the main characters being the descendants of the original characters - the grandchildren.
Mariel is a newly blooded captain of the Merry Men, grand-daughter of Robin Hood and Maid Marion and keen to do anything she can to win the favour of her harsh and critical father. Her father, the Commander of the Merry Men has a very powerful influence over her understandings of leadership style. Since the beginning of his command, the woods have been unhappy and at war. Impoverished villagers have lost faith in the Merry Men being able to help them as in Robin Hood's day and the Merry Men themselves are not so merry but rather fighting amongst themselves. Mariel's arch-enemy is the grandson of the Sheriff of Nottingham of Robin Hood's day so the hostility has passed down unchanged through the generations. The delightful Clem, village healer, is kidnapped by Mariel's motley group of Merry Men and so begins an adventure, the forging of friendships and romances and a fight for their lives and the life of the greenwood. Clem is cheerful and hilarious. Her humour seems to be indefatigable and resistant to any horror. 'She prided herself on her commitment to the absurd'. Gradually she has a huge impact on her kidnappers resulting in a questioning of values, change and resultant new directions.
Lex Croucher paints the blossoming of young love with delicate and sensitive strokes. The dialogue between the characters is on point, befitting an action adventure story with character descriptions and action sequences that are so visually vivid, one can imagine Not for the faint of heart being made into a movie. Often hilarious, the humour flows from Clem, whose pithy remarks provide a commentary on the action.
This is a clever book, offering delightful word choreography and entertainment along with deeper messages on a number of themes including what is good governance and friendship in the face of peril. Recommended for the capable young adult reader.
Themes Governance, Social justice values, Intergenerational leadership and change, Queer romance, Camaraderie.
Wendy Jeffrey
Dot! Scribble! Go! by Herve Tullet
Allen & Unwin, 2024. ISBN: 9781761181214. (Age:3+) Recommended.
Good fun will be had following the guidelines in this very different drawing book. It encourages young children to use their drawing full of dots, scribbles, and colour to make images. Armed with a hand and the finger too, stars can become dots and between the dots colour can be added.
Then something can circle the dots or make lines between them, and children will be on their way to make a beautiful drawing. Then some scribbles appear and the child is encouraged to make some scribbles too. Scribbles can be anything and use lots of colours. Out of these scribbles, a form may appear and filled with scribbles will look most attractive.
This easy to follow guide to drawing will attract younger readers to give it a go, to try something they may not have tried before, to see that whatever they do will end up as an image, a picture.
A sturdy cover ensures the book will be useful when armed with paper, crayons, pens and water nearby, while the pages inside can be marked but wiped almost clean. Kids will love using their imaginations with this book, and parents and teachers will use the models it provides. Energetic, full of charm and wit, the book encourages playing with scribbles, dots and colours, thinking outside the norm, trying something for themselves.
The last pages are a fold out image of what the dots, scribbles, lines and colour could achieve.
Themes Drawing, Colour, Humour.
Fran Knight
South with the seabirds by Jess McGeachin
Allen & Unwin, 2024. ISBN: 9781761068645. (Age:6+) Highly recommended.
Well-known author/illustrator Jess McGeachin’s latest non-fiction book is a fascinating story about four female scientists who visited Macquarie Island in 1959. As a young girl, Mary Gillham was enthralled by sea birds and spent hours sketching them. She grew up to be a naturalist and travelled all around the world studying strange plants and animals. Mary was desperate to visit Macquarie Island but in that time Antarctica was seen as not a place for women. However, three other women from overseas were hoping to go and finally it happened.
Travelling with Mary were Isobel Bennett, Hope Macpherson and Susan Ingham. They set sail on the icebreaking ship Thala Dan and travelled for five days in calm and rough weather. They were followed by seabirds which are gloriously illustrated and labelled across a striking blue sea, until they came ‘to an island at the edge of the world.’ They were here at last. Once they had landed they studied the kelp, the rockpools, the seabirds, seals, penguins, wild plants and animals. Their research was so important to the future of the island which was added to the World Heritage List in 1997, was declared pest free in 2014, and in 2023 the marine park surrounding the island was tripled in size.
South with the Seabirds is a captivating story about the achievements of four strong and passionate scientists who have lakes named after them on the island. Jess McGeachin has told an incredible story, full of facts as well as stunning drawings of the bird, plant and animal life. The endpapers show a clearly labelled map of Macquarie Island and there is a timeline showing the history of the island as well as further information about the female scientists and tips for young naturalists.
This book provides a wonderful opportunity for educators and their students for further research into Macquarie Island and its environment and/or the four amazing scientists who provide such vital information.
Themes Scientists, Women, Macquarie Island, Research, Natural Environments.
Kathryn Beilby
On the hunt for Santa by Lesley Gibbes and Stephen Michael King
Working Title Press, 2024. ISBN: 9781922033109. (Age:3+)
One snowy day, three friends set out for the North Pole. Hare has a honey pot, Cat a candy cane and Pig has a plum pudding. They begin their perilous journey, tramping through ice and snow and over the crystal lake. They come to the Chasm Bridge guarded by a troll. But do they give up? No, they keep on going, Hare with the honey pot, Cat with a candy cane and Pig with a plum pudding. They bravely keep on their path, despite the sounds of the wolves they can hear in the snow.
Where could they be going questions the text, asking readers to think about the focus of their brave journey. They finally get to their destination, passing a sleigh with an empty sack, and a group of reindeer, quietly chewing their grass.
Readers by now will have worked out where the trio is headed and receive the news gladly. The very idea of Father Christmas is enough for kids to get excited, and in reading this story, they will think of another aspect of Father Christmas, the quiet time after the rush of delivering all the presents.
A wonderful sequel to Scary night sees three intrepid friends, setting out to deliver a happy Christmas Day to Santa after his work on Christmas Eve. Vibrant illustrations will keep eyes glued to the pages as they see the trek the animals make, disregarding their own safety to wish Santa a Happy Christmas.
Themes Father Christmas, Christmas, Animals, Journeys, Humour.
Fran Knight
Mural by Stephen Downes
Transit Lounge, 2024. ISBN: 9781923023185. (Age:Adult - Young adult) Recommended.
On opening this pretty, beautifully produced book the reader is confronted by endpapers showing an engraving of the sinister standing stones at Carnac followed by an unsettling quote from Thomas Bernhard’s story Reunion about parents destroying their children; so, when the story starts with an account of Harry Ellis arriving in Australia in 1875 we are already off balance. “I want to tell you about the things that leap into my bedlam of a mind” says “D” who has been asked by psychiatrist Dr Reynolds to write down his thoughts after being incarcerated again for unspecified crimes, “my movements are as predictably reciprocal as a piston”, hinting at the sexual and repetitive nature of his crimes. D wants to talk about obsession, in his case malice, but through two examples of obsessives who have found a benign compulsion to save them from becoming like him. The first of these is Harry (Havelock) Ellis whose life story, is summed up as a lonely, bush loving boy, who “read more than he lived” and “made sex his life’s work” p. 23 (he became an expert in the psychology of sex)). The second is Napier Waller, the famous Australian artist whose murals adorn many buildings in Melbourne. Along the way D reflects on the Pre-Raphaelites, the mosaics in the Basilica di San Vitale, the influence of the standing stones of Carnac and a patricide in Tasmania, always through the lens of his own preoccupations about parents and children, repressed sexuality and the idea that small things build up until the last straw results in action. The tone is arch, detached and egocentric as D reveals more of himself though what interests him. Peppered throughout the book are unremarkable supporting photos which seem to illustrate D’s assertion of the past as “fuzzy, conflated slides…compressed for easier viewing” p. 171. I was disappointed in the ending, but this is a fascinating little book, and while there is an undercurrent of sex there is never anything explicit or offensive. Given the interest in true crime, mental health and unusual perspectives on Australian history I could see this as a senior school winner, worthy of closer reading.
Every so often, a book is published that will deeply engage the reader from first glance and will continue to offer the opportunity to browse time and time again. The Grown-Up's Guide to Picture Books is one such book. It is a refreshingly detailed and supportive look at the mechanics of picture book writing for authors, illustrators, educators, book reviewers and critics, new writers, children and interested adults. Commencing with a page of testimonials from some well-known identities from the book industry including Andrea Rowe, Anne James, Jules Faber and Peter Carnavas, there is then a meaningful introduction, followed by the thoughtful, well-answered question, 'What is a picture book?'
Set out in alphabetical order, beginning with A is for Animals and ending with Z is Zeitgeist, a German word meaning ‘spirit of the time’ where it describes the common beliefs of an era, this wonderful book is full of fascinating ideas, structures, useful tips, and so much more. There is the opportunity to further explore the striking images accompanying the text with some probing talking points and questions, to extend and encourage participation from the reader. For example, in the chapter H is for Heroes, the question is asked ‘What does this illustrated page tell us about different kinds of heroes?’ The image shows a large drawing of an older person surrounded by a few tiny brightly coloured superheroes and a notorious Australian icon in the corner. The chapter, Y is for Yucky Stuff, is one that may divide some readers but perhaps this is an apt and fitting comment, '…gross-out humour provides a dash of small-scale rebellion. Children delight in the squirming faces of teachers, parents, and librarians…'
This is a quote from the chapter J is for Joy, and with the recent debate regarding literacy skills of children in Australia, it is vital that we strive to encourage a love of reading, '…reading purely for pleasure has significant benefits for comprehension …vocabulary extension…skills in critical analysis, general knowledge…confidence as a reader…interpreting a scenario from the illustrations alone (visual literacy) are important elements of reading. Allowing kids to explore a picture book for the fun of it…helps change their perception of reading from a chore to joy.' p28
As an adult reviewer of picture books, The Grown-Up's Guide to Picture Books is an invaluable resource that I will use time and time again. A must-have for those who love picture books, who write and illustrate picture books, who are looking to write their own picture books, or those who read and share picture books with others.
Themes Picture Book Mechanics, Storytelling, Illustrations, Themes, Activities, Resource text.
Kathryn Beilby
The wonder of little things by Vince Copley with Lea McInerney
This new edition of Vince Copley's autobiography, edited for young readers, provides a personal account of what it was like as a young boy to grow up under the constant restrictions of the Aboriginal Protection Act. As a young kid on Point Pearce mission the fun was rousing around with siblings in a pedal car, lollies from the shop, catching rabbits, and hugs from aunties, but later as he grew older he became aware of categorisations of ‘full-blood’, ‘half-caste’, etc., things his mother told him to ignore, because ‘You’re as good as anybody else’.
Vince chose to go to St Francis school for Aboriginal boys, at a time before it became a place to send stolen children. It became a haven for him when his mother died, ‘another kind of family’. The bonds that united those boys held strong in later years when they encountered racist slurs. The call on the football field to ‘go back to your tree’ became a joke amongst the boys as they joked about ‘which is my tree’. Humour became a weapon of self-protection.
There were appalling moments in his life, like when his brother Colin died from infection after being turned away from the Maitland hospital which didn’t treat Aboriginal people. Vince himself was turned away from Ardrossan and Maitland hospitals before being treated at the Wallaroo government hospital for appendicitis. The harrowing significance of those events only sank in later.
Overall, Vince’s story is of the simple things that made up a good life despite adversity and racism. Thankfully there were so many good people that offered friendship, and a place to stay when he needed it. He seemed to have a natural understanding that resentment and anger would only give himself pain. Instead he responded with a happy open heart that connected with the right people.
Vince Copley became a champion footballer and a premiership-winning coach. The path was often difficult but his innate optimism and good cheer always held him up, so that looking back, he can revel in ‘the wonder of little things’. It is a very inspiring, uplifting life story of overcoming hardships and working with others to make things better.
This edition of Vince’s story is highly recommended for young readers. Older readers would be encouraged to read the more detailed The wonder of little things (2022). Lea McInerney has developed a blog that contains recordings of Vince talking, his history, Papa Joe and Grandfather Barney, historical archives, and much more.
Easy to read fantasy with great setting and relatable characters, Into the Labyrinth, the first in the Mage Errant series, is likely to appeal to readers who enjoy books set in academia with the bonus of a great library. Hugh of Emblin is a shy student, with no self-confidence. Bullied by the son of a noble, he is friendless and believes that he is worthless, unable to perform even the simplest of spells. When he is chosen by a Librarian mage to be his apprentice, life changes for him and he gradually becomes friends with the other two apprentices, Sabae and Talia.
The world building was fascinating. The Great Library with its floating shelves and strange Index and the idea of Hugh having a warded room to himself will thrill readers who like libraries as a main feature in their fantasy. The world of the labyrinth below Skyhold is frightening and the demons and monsters, traps and tunnels are vividly described.
Bierce gradually expands his story with the four young people beginning to gain confidence in their magical ability and starting to believe in themselves. Their trial in the Labyrinth is action packed, each bringing their unique skills to fight off the monsters and get out of the traps hidden in the tunnels.
Into the Labyrinth is a quick and enjoyable read with likeable characters, a unique world and plenty of action. Readers will want to follow Hugh and his friends in their next adventure, Jewel of the Endless Erg, and those who like books set in academies may enjoy the more demanding Scholomance series by Naomi Novik.
Themes Magic, Libraries, Coming of age.
Pat Pledger
The glass horse of Venice by Arnold Zable. Illus. by Anita Lester
Text Publishing, 2024. ISBN: 9781923058002. (Age:6+) Highly recommended.
Each day when Claudia runs to school in Venice, she stops at the shop of the glassblower. She peers at the animals made of glass: the swans and giraffes, lions and elephant, but her eyes are always drawn to the horse, especially the winged horse. The glass animals fill the canals and building around her. One day the glassblower offers her a gift, and tells her that the horse has broken wings, but one day, if she cares for it, she will find its secret. She takes the wingless horse and places it on her windowsill where she ignores it, wanting a winged horse in its place.
One day the rain comes, and water overlaps the canals and finds its way under the doors of their apartment.
The horse calls her, but she ignores it.
The water keeps rising so the family packs its goods and moves to another apartment away from Venice. Claudia misses Venice and the glassblower. She finds her wingless horse and places it in the light. Its wings grow and she is able to climb upon its back. They fly over Venice as she calls to Pegasus to fly. She sees the city she loves and flies into the night before returning to her home with the wingless horse on her windowsill.
An enchanting book of an imaginative journey as Claudia learns to believe the impossible. The story of Pegasus parallels the story of this book and children will love finding out about that story and its similarities and differences. They will soar with Claudia as she sits on the horse’s back. In the morning the wingless horse sits happily on the windowsill waiting for another nighttime excursion.
Illustrations by Anita Lester are amazing, bringing Venice to life as children pore over the detail of the people, the steps, bridges, boats, buildings and red tiled roofs. Looking at them begs the reader to enter Venice on foot, prowling around its waterways.
But the aerial view is stunning, and readers will cheer along with Claudia as she see her beloved city on the back of the winged horse. Children will marvel at the images of the glass animals, especially the winged horse as it takes Claudia on her longed-for ride.