My monkey, Rowan, was given a copy of Monkey and Me by Lou and Ned for his first birthday last month. He loves it! Better still, I love reading it to him, and every time I do, I discover something new in Emily Gravett’s playful illustrations. The rhythmic repetition of the words, combined with its short-and-sweet length, means it’s perfect for toddler-sized listeners. I’m pretty sure it will be one of the first books that Rowan will be ‘reading’ back to me.
‘Me’ is a spunky little girl with an ever-so expressive face, and accompanied by her toy monkey, she enthusiastically recounts a visit to a collection of animals. The pair mimick the animals’ movements along the way – an ideal way for kids to anticipate what comes next. Apparently Emily wrote the book for a fidgety little friend of hers and it’s easy to imagine why.
This is Emily’s fourth book, and many people would know her previous titles: Wolves (winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal in 2005), Orange Pear Apple Bear (inspired by Lynn Truss’s Eats, Shoots and Leaves!), and Meerkat Mail. Her latest book is due out in Australia in October – this one has flaps and a fold-out map! Can’t wait to read it… For small and not-so-small fans, Emily’s website is well worth a visit, with some fun games and printable activities
Wasn’t sure where to place this recommendation. Maybe you need another category on books which focus on stories about Australian animals and their environments!
Little Bat is a beautifully illustrated book written by Tania Cox and illustrated by Andrew McLean. It’s a Working Title Press publication ex Kent Town, South Australia. Illustrations were executed with a combination of wax crayon, coloured ink, pencil & pastel – which gives a richness of colour and also allows the texture of the artwork to come through.
The characters are animals found in the rainfrests of NE Australia and Little Fox is balking at the imminent prospect of flight; fortunately the other animals are reassuring. A lovely story for children who may be experiencing reticence at embarking on a new activity. Philosophically as a grandparent, much as I still love many of the books I grew up with featuring European animals, it’s great that there are now so many books which feature our own wildlife.