Claire Saxby (text) and Max Hamilton (illustrator), Tasmanian Devil, Walker Books, June 2022, 32 pp, RRP $26.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781760652418
A whiskered snout appears in the mouth of a wombat burrow, but it is not a wombat. It is a Tasmanian devil in a borrowed den.
So begins Tasmanian Devil, an inspired new offering from Claire Saxby and Max Hamilton and the latest addition to the Nature Storybooks series. The book highlights the interplay between animal and habitat as we follow two curious young devils, or imps, from pouch and den to exploration and independence. Deftly blending fact and fiction, young readers will be drawn to the brother and sister devils as they venture far from ‘home’. Non-fiction text appears in a different font on the page, providing the opportunity to read interesting facts in tandem with, or separate to, the story. Supporting information can be found in the backmatter, including a descriptive summary of Tasmanian devils, along with an index of related terms.
Saxby’s tremendous skill is evident, conveying the devils’ personalities, emotions, and nature with an economy of words. The Tasmanian wilderness come alive on the pages through Hamilton’s charming illustrations and choice of colour palette.
A beautiful book for ages 5+ about an iconic, endangered Australian marsupial, their habitat, and their behaviours. The Walker Books Australia website has a link to a classroom ideas pdf.
Reviewed by Maura Pierlot
