Kate & Jol Temple (text), Ronojoy Ghosh (illus.), Are You My Bottom? Allen & Unwin, July 2018, 32pp, $19.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781760631642
One morning a small panda wakes up confused and upset. He is missing his bottom but he knows it was definitely there the night before. Panda embarks on a worrying journey through the forest, snow and desert to find his lost bottom, constantly mistaking the rear end of many different animals along the way with his own missing bottom.
Kate and Jol Temple’s text is written in rhyming verse which adds to the amusement. The writing is placed against plain backgrounds so that it is easy to read, while changes of lettering style and case denote words for emphasis when reading aloud.
Ronojoy Ghosh’s illustrations are also full of colour and comedy as we see close-ups of the many different bottoms little panda tries to identify. Double page spreads contribute to the sense of space and journey and allow for detail and expression from the animals.
Are You My Bottom? is a funny picture book that is engaging throughout and leads the reader on a fun-filled journey while also learning animal recognition. Children aged 4 to 7 will enjoy the scatological humour while reading along or having it read to them.
Downloadable Activities are available on the Allen & Unwin website.
Reviewed by Grace & John Nolan
