Emma Watkins, Oliver Brian & Hayley Watkins (text), and Kerrie Hess & Amy Josephine Wright (illustrators), Emma Memma: How Are You? Penguin Australia, June 2023, 32 pp., RRP $19.99 (hbk) ISBN 9781761341083
Sing, dance, sign!
Three ingredients for an engaging experience for young children of all abilities, and the new series by a familiar face. Emma Watkins as the inspiration behind the character is no stranger to us as the former yellow Wiggle!
Emma Memma: How are you? starts joyfully with a burst of orange, yellow and pink as readers meet Emma and her friends as they greet each other with sign language. Waffles the Wombat, Elvin Melvin and Go Go the Goats are lovable characters sure to be popular with a younger audience.
The story is simple and universal, and is a wonderful demonstration of the artistic integration of sign language for young children in picture books. It is accompanied by a lovely palette of illustrations of Emma and friends brought to life by Kerrie Hess and Amy Josephine Wright – visually communicating a very important message and themes of friendship, sign language and self-expression.
Several formats are available including an Auslan video, well worth checking out – an Emma Memma feast for all the senses!
For even more Emma Memma colouring in and activity books in the series.
It is always such a pleasure to come across a picture book for pre schoolers and kindergartners that celebrates our amazing Auslan community. We need more books like these on shelves and in classrooms.
Reviewed by Shelley Stephens
