Jessica Dettmann (text) and Jake A Minton (illustrator), There’s no such book, Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing, July 2022, 24 pp., RRP $24.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781922326607
There’s no such book opens with a relatable discussion over the dinner table between a mother and a primary school aged child about Book Week dress ups and the bombshell that the Book Week parade is tomorrow – a pain many parents have had to endure. What follows is a hurried attempt to find a costume in the dress up box and a book that it might fit. With each option presented Ellie, the daughter, responds, “No, there is no such book.”
Frustrations mount and the suggested dress ups become more fantastical. As Ellie’s irritation and worry reach boiling point Mum suggests that they sleep on it. In the morning Ellie awakes to find a homemade book created by her Mum. After some discussion about whether it’s a ‘real book’ Ellie is able to find a dress up that suits her new book and allows her to participate in the Book Week parade.
This sweet story is illustrated by established author and emerging picture book illustrator, Jake A Minton. Jake’s illustrations perfectly capture the chaos of trying to find a last minute Book Week costume and the imagination of the final solution. The book was shortlisted for the CBCA Book of the Year Award New Illustrator and will probably be the source of inspiration for many costumes this year and next.
Reviewed by Anne Varnes