Brentos, Australian Animals: From Beach to Bush, Affirm Press, October 2023, 32 pp., RRP $24.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781922930408
This intriguing book is set out as a kind of journey. It is also a plea for humans to help save the unique animals of Australia, some of which are in danger of extinction. Each double-page spread focuses on a geographical feature (coral reefs, kelp forests, savannahs, deserts and so on) and within that broader outline the animals that live there are depicted, with one animal in particular, highlighted. The humpback whale, for example, is the creature highlighted in the coral reefs’ pages.
Readers are then invited to examine the pages further to find other creatures that are listed in a side column of ‘Can you find’, along with their status as least concern, vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered. In this way the book is a celebration of the uniqueness of so many Australian animals as well as calling the reader’s attention to the need to preserve them. As well as the ones listed there are other creatures depicted in the complex illustrations and readers will have a great deal of fun poring over them.
The colours of the illustrations change too, as the geographic area depicted changes. The double-page spread for deserts is largely sepia and ochre toned; the tropical rainforests spread is soft greens with many creatures well camouflaged against that background and, sadly but appropriately, the page of extinct creatures is black and grey.
The artist grew up close to, and exploring, the bush and he draws much of his inspiration from that/ The information about him at the back of the book describes his artistic style as a ‘nostalgic, cheeky type of pop art’ and this is evident in this book. Also evident though, is his deep love and respect form Australia’s natural world and his desire to preserve it.
Many of the creatures will be familiar but many won’t either to children or the adults who share the book with them. This is a book to be shared, discussed and explored at length.
Reviewed by Margot Hillel
