FENTON, Corinne Hey Mum, I Love You Black Dog, 2014 unpaged A$18.95 NZ$21.99 ISBN 9781922244581 SCIS 1656544
Corinne Fenton has produced a picture book for infants that is visually appealing and sure to become a favourite that readers will want to revisit. The format is uncomplicated with the statement ‘I love your more than…’ followed by a number of comparisons such as ‘the smoochiest kiss’ with bold font emphasizing the key word and an appropriate animal photograph opposite.
Bold primary colours adorn the front cover and an inquisitive piglet peeping at the reader entices us to look inside. Printed on quality gloss paper, there is a marked contrast between the bright photographs and the large black text on a white background on the opposing page. This obvious distinction between text and illustration is especially helpful for infants at the very beginning of their journey to literacy. The stunning animal photographs will quickly engage young children while the minimal text makes it ideal to be read aloud and for the child to soon read along too. It has the perfect theme for the 0 to 6 age group, reinforcing the loving bond between mothers and their children.
reviewed by John Nolan
