Natala Graetz, Everyday Wonders, Everyday Wonders, March 2021, 32 pp, RRP $24.95 (hbk), ISBN 9780645245004
You are an everyday wonder, this is true,
Simply by being so wonderfully YOU!
Everyday Wonders is a whimsical and vibrant picture book that celebrates the wonder that exists in everyday women who lead colourful, diverse and eclectic lives. Author and illustrator Natala Graetz invites young readers to not only meet an array of female characters in their professional lives but also to experience the everyday joys, hobbies, and passions of these characters too. It is so empowering to see such a realistic depiction of women – all of Graetz’s characters are so multi-faceted and there is everyday wonder in each of them, no matter who they are or what they do. Be it Emelia, a journalist who loves handwritten letters or Claudette, a patisserie baker who loves to ride when not in her shop, every woman has a unique story and is so wonderfully themselves!
Graetz’s illustrations burst with a modern and whimsical colour palette. Each spread offers a detailed glimpse into the world of each of Graetz’s fifteen characters. My own little readers paused and reflected on each spread with such curiosity and joy, discovering the wonder in the smaller things in each character’s life.
Everyday Wonders is a joyous, read-a-aloud story that can be shared with readers of all ages. A highly recommended picture book that celebrates diversity and seeking wonder in our own daily lives, Graetz’s picture book has been shortlisted in the 2022 Children’s Book of the Year Award in the New Illustrator Category.
Reviewed by Lana Spasevski
