Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Reading Time
    • Home
    • Reviews
      • Highly Recommended
      • CBCA Short Listed
      • Early Childhood Books
      • Younger Readers
      • Intermediate Readers
      • Older Readers
      • ANZAC books
      • Great Read Alouds
      • Information Books
      • LGBTQIA+
      • Picture Books
      • Professional Development
    • Interviews
    • Suggestions
    • News
    • Meet The Review Team
    • Contact Us
    Reading Time
    You are at:Home»Reviews»Highly Recommended»Through the Smoke

    Through the Smoke

    0
    By Admin on March 30, 2019 Highly Recommended, Picture Books, Reviews

    Phil Cummings (text), and Andrew McLean (illustrator), Through the Smoke, Scholastic Australia, February 2019, 32 pp., RRP $24.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781760274702

    Through the Smoke should be essential reading for all early and young readers in Australia. Three young children head out on an adventure, their imaginations leading the way as they seek and search for places to hide and explore. Soon though, a looming bushfire becomes more of a threat than they expected. As they imagine a giant fire-breathing dragon filling the sky with smoke, it becomes clear they are no longer safe.

    The innocent escapades of young children in the bush, juxtaposed with the very real threat of fire is a wonderful tool for bringing the realities of natural disasters to young readers. This book provides a beautiful platform for building on children’s awareness of bushfires, keeping safe, and what to do in the case of an emergency. Of course, this is done skillfully by author Phil Cummings, with storytelling being the tool by which he delivers the message.

    Most striking is the clever envisioning of the rescue team of firefighters as brave knights. What a wonderful story to read before an excursion to the Fire Station!

    The themes of bushfires, the environment, geography, health and safety, amongst many others are some of the many ways this book can be a launchpad into a number of important and relevant areas of study. I would love this to become an Australian classroom and library staple. A book made for our country, climate and our contemporary issues.

    Reviewed by Belinda Raposo

    Related Posts

    A Human for Kingsley

    Dirt Circus League

    Dark Rise

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    • Themes
    • Curriculum
    Action adventure Airplanes Alphabet Anxiety autism Bullying CBCA Awards Coming of age Dystopian emotions family fantasy friendship grief Historical humour magic Mystery Post apocalyptic Readers Cup reluctant readers school Sci-Fi series of books siblings Sport Starting school Teacher Notes
    ANZAC Australian animals Australian history Biography Culture & Diversity Disabilities First Nations Geography health Humanities mental health Poetry Reconciliation resilience Science STEM Stolen Generation sustainability Wordless books



    Recent Comments
    • Cherie on Elephant Island
    • Patricia Tilton on Freddy the Not-Teddy
    • Jilanne Hoffmann on Freddy the Not-Teddy
    • Penelope Pratley on The Secret of Sapling Green
    • Emily Flint on Walk of the Whales
    Recent Posts
    • A Human for Kingsley
    • Dirt Circus League
    • Dark Rise
    • Bear and Rat
    • Grumble Boats
    Recent Comments
    • Cherie on Elephant Island
    • Patricia Tilton on Freddy the Not-Teddy
    • Jilanne Hoffmann on Freddy the Not-Teddy
    • Penelope Pratley on The Secret of Sapling Green
    • Emily Flint on Walk of the Whales
    © Copyright 2021 The Children’s Book Council of Australia - All rights reserved

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    Posting....