Damon Young (text), Peter Carnavas (illus.), My Brother is a Beast, University of Queensland Press, 27 Feb 2017, 32pp., $24.95 (hbk), ISBN: 9780702259579
Ever wondered what it’s like to have a brother? Well this book by Damon Young is sure to provide you with some insight.
My Brother is a Beast makes clever use of rhyme in order to create a catchy rhythm flowing from one page to the next. The repetitive characters also deliver continuity throughout the book, generating an overall persona of each brother as the book continues. I particularly like the yoga brother and his foxy friend.
Brothers are often considered daring, big, loud, dirty, boisterous and adventurous; all of which are represented in the text; and also in the illustrations by Peter Carnavas. But anyone with a brother knows how protective they are of their family, especially younger siblings. Bringing this big and loud journey of brothers to an end is an image which captures the love of a brother, as the ‘beast’ protects his sleeping sister and says “shhhhh”.
My Brother is a Beast is the fourth book of a series based on different family members; My Nanna is a Ninja, My Pop is a Pirate, and My Sister is a Superhero. This colourful and creative series delves into the roles, stereotypes and differences of family members in a humorous and catchy way. There are sure to be many giggles as children listen to and relate to elements of these books.
Reviewed by Raquel Mayman
