WINNER – EVE POWNALL AWARD FOR INFORMATION BOOKS
FAILLE, Chris: JEREMY
Illustrated by Danny SNELL
Working Title Press, ISBN: 9781921504402, unpaged
Jeremy is a baby kookaburra brought into the lounge room by the family cat. The layout and design makes this book appealing to very young readers. It follows Jeremy’s development as he is carefully reared by a family, from a featherless hatchling to a mature kookaburra and finally his release back into the wild. The simple chronological narrative is enhanced and extended by the realistic acrylic paintings. The illustrations are vibrant thus encouraging the reader to explore in detail not only the physical but the behavioural characteristics of a kookaburra. Mature readers will benefit from the additional informative, scientific facts concerning kookaburras which fill the endpapers.
HONOUR BOOKS
BURARRWANGA, Laklak: WELCOME TO MY COUNTRY
Allen & Unwin, ISBN 9781743313961, 209 pages
The history and culture of the Yolngu people of north-east Arnhem Land are captured in this detailed book. Laklak Burarrwanga, along with eight other family members tell of their spiritual beliefs and understanding of the environment. Yolngu languages are used throughout, with the English translations incorporated in the text. This approach emphasises the importance of the Yolngu language and of their culture. The depiction of animals in the illustrations highlights the importance that these creatures have in the culture of the Yolngu people. There is a variety of media used including indigenous artworks which tie in with the corresponding chapters and their themes. This book presents complex and insightful information from a unique perspective.
GOULDTHORPE, Peter: ICE, WIND, ROCK: Douglas Mawson in the Antarctic
Lothian Children’s Books, Hachette Australia, ISBN: 9780734411556, 32 pages
This is a beautifully presented book with high quality illustrations. Realistic and accurate depictions of Mawson invite empathy with his character and the challenges he faced. The full colour paintings use light and shade to show not only the Antarctic landscape but also the mood and tone of the text. Black and white drawings have the feel of historic photos about them, giving a sense of the time period. The information is thoroughly researched. The text is very well written, mostly in the present tense but changes to the past tense near the end of the book. Maps of Antarctica and the expedition routes at the end of the book are a useful addition.
