Phillip Gwynne (Author), Liz Anelli (Illustrator) Song of the White Ibis, June 2022, RRP $24.99 (hbk), Penguin Random House, ISBN 9781760897949
Song of the White Ibis is a beautifully written picture book which invites young readers (5 years +) to think more deeply about the affectionately named Bin Chicken, our environment, and where humanity is headed.
Call me Bin Chicken
Call me Tip Turkey
Call me Picnic Pirate…
But… there is a lot more to my song than you might think.
And maybe I’ve got something to teach you too.
At the beginning of the book, Liz Anelli’s detailed and deeply textured multi-media illustrations depict the White Ibis in a familiar urban setting. The birds perch on the rim of an over-stuffed city bin whilst litter and other detritus swirl around it in its bid to retrieve food scraps and slurp at bin juice. But then the scenes change, and the White Ibis begins to tell us of his past and how he used to be regarded and revered.
Through simple storytelling, the reader learns of the White Ibis’s ancient, sacred roots; its resilience and adaptability; its useful ways and its essential place in the ecosystem. We learn of its iconic reputation throughout Australia and hear the beautiful love story of the White Ibis’s mating ritual. Meanwhile, the stunning full colour illustrations depict the unmistakable human impact on our environment, the expanding built-up city streets, and the vast amount of rubbish humans produce.
Throughout the book, Phillip Gwynne repeats the nicknames we have all heard or used for these birds at one time or another ‘Call me Bin Chicken, Call me Tip Turkey, Call me Picnic Pirate…’, inviting the reader to consider how much more respect these wise animals deserve. By the end of the story the White Ibis has some advice for us, encouraging us to think about the situation humans may face if we don’t take better care of our planet.
A beautifully told story with a powerful message that is sure to inspire young readers and encourage us all to renew, recycle and replenish, just like the White Ibis.
Reviewed by Lisa Hoad
