The Parrot and the Merchant by Marjan Vafaian translated by Azita Rassi

Mah Jahan was a merchant. She collected beautiful things to sell but she also collected birds.

"She kept them in cages or in chains so they couldn't fly away and leave her."

Her favourite bird was a colourful talking parrot from India. Setting off to trade in India, Mah Jahan asked her parrot:

"Tell me what I can bring you to make you happy."

Do you know what will make this parrot happy? 

Here are all her goods loaded onto her camels:

Just as she was about to head back home, Mah Jahan remembered to ask the wild parrots for advice - what will make her parrot at home happy? These parrots cannot talk of course and sadly one dies after hearing the question. On her return, Mah Jahan tells her parrot she has no answer to the question of happiness and that one of the wild parrots had dropped dead. 

"Mah Jahan's parrot said nothing, but after a moment it too suddenly went still, and it dropped to the floor of the cage."

Can you guess what happens when Mah Jahan opens the cage and gently lifts out her precious parrot. YES, it is a trick, and the parrot flies off to freedom (and back to India).

This book has the most wonderful art and a very satisfying story. Be quick - this book in hardcover is available now for a really good price. Since it was published in 2017, I am sure it will soon be out of print. I highly recommend adding this one to your library collection - the art is scrumptious. Or look for the paperback edition [9781910328255]. 

Publisher (Tiny Owl) blurb: This exquisitely illustrated story is an enchanting fable exploring how hard it is to give something you love freedom. The merchant Mah Jahan loves to keep colourful birds in cages, especially a parrot who can talk to her. But when the parrot asks her to bring something back from her trading trip to India, Mah Jahan learns a valuable lesson about how to treat the things and people you love.

This old Rumi tale is adapted by making the merchant a woman but is not otherwise significantly modernized. Iranian illustrator Vafaeian’s ornamented, often surreal illustrations depict Mah Jahan in enormous, colorful skirts and frequently surrounded by comparatively tiny servants. The parrot’s cage is likewise stylized, an ornamented circle that contains the unhappy captive. ...  This 900-year-old story has not lost its classic feel. Kirkus

Read about Marjan Vafaian here.

Try to find some other books about the thirteenth century poet and philosopher Rumi.

Read more about this book here.

Read more about this book here.

This story might remind you of The Nightingale by Hans Christian Andersen.

Freddie Spector Fact Collector: Space Cadet by Ashleigh Barton illustrated by Peter Cheong

Freddie has a new obsession - space. He collects every fact he can, and he shares these on post-it notes all around his house. If you met Freddie you could ask him any question about space and he is sure to know the answer. Actually, questions are one theme in this book because five lucky students from Freddie's school have been selected to ask one question each of Astronaut Lilly Jun who is on the International Space Station. She will talk to the students via a video call. Freddie really wants to ask a great question - not something silly. I won't spoil the question he does ask but it is brilliant! You do need to read the whole book which is just over 100 pages, however, before this is revealed. 

The other thread in this book, one that keeps the plot moving, is the mystery next door. Freddie is woken by a noise in the night. He looks into the neighbor's backyard and he is shocked to see a huge hole. Freddie is certain a UFO has arrived and that means an alien is now inside the neighbours home. All of this is confirmed when the neighbour almost slams the door in Freddie and his sister's faces and later when Freddie sees a strange red light in the upstairs rooms of their house. There is also the mystery of green slime on the path leading into school. Did the aliens leave this here?

I did not expect to enjoy Freddie Spector Fact Collector as much as I did. This book is the first in a new series and it is one your readers in grades 2 and up are sure to enjoy. The scattering of illustrations by Peter Cheong are also sure to appeal to newly confident readers and they will enjoy the pages filled with Freddie's sticky notes. I did learn a few interesting things about space myself after reading these.  

• Astronauts on the Internationa Space Station see sixteen sunsets and sunrises over earth every day.
• Halley's comet will return in 2061.
• Black holes don't last forever - they slowly evaporate.
• Mercury's moons are named after famous people like Dr Seuss, Beethoven, and Maya Angelou.

Huge thanks to Three Sparrow Books for the advance copy of Space Cadet due out in July this year. It is published by Hachette. I have previously talked about other books by Ashleigh Barton. And Peter Cheong - Every Night at Midnight. 

Publisher blurb: Freddie Spector loves collecting facts - about anything and everything. His latest obsession is space. It's all he talks about: stars, planets, galaxies, astronauts, space travel - and, of course UFOs and extraterrestrials. Freddie writes all his facts on sticky notes that his mum and big sister, Henrietta, keep finding in weird places - like in their sock drawers or their sandwiches. But whenever Freddie collects facts on a topic, his very active imagination always gets involved too. And, after noticing some very suspicious goings-on, Freddie realises it's up to him to discover the answer to a burning question: could aliens have landed in his neighborhood? Fast-paced and funny, this series is all about an everyday eight-year-old boy whose love of facts and extraordinary imagination come together with unexpected and hilarious results.

Here is the second book in the series which will also be released in July, 2024.

General Waste by Michel Streich

When you pick up this book don't rush to open it. Spend a little time - stretch out the cover; touch the cover (it is embossed) and then stop and think about the meanings of the title. Now turn to the hectic end papers which are filled with - yes waste! Can you and your young reading companion or library group identify some of these objects - I see a toaster, clothing, toys, a hair dryer, plants, a stapler, a flower vase, a trombone, a bucket, several pots and pans, a toy dinosaur (at least I hope it's a toy), a arrow, a fish, chicken drumsticks, a spade, an electric toothbrush, a golf club, pliers, assorted cutlery, and so much more.

Turn the page to meet the man himself - General Waste. 

"He had a different toothbrush for every day of the week, six hairdryers, (and) his house was filled with a myriad of machines, power tools, widgets and contraptions. There were so many he could hardly remember what they were used for."

"Every day, General Waste took a very long shower, just for fun. He called it the 'hour of shower'."

General Waste lives on the top floor of the house - meanwhile on the bottom floor we meet Gram-Gram and she lives an opposite life.

"Gram-Gram saved every morsel of food, and she carefully stored leftovers in the fridge. She had a pantry ... filled with preserved vegetables, meats and fruits."

Gram-Gram rides her bicycle everywhere and she carefully mends her well worn clothes so they can last a lot longer.

An astute reader will know something has to happen - especially when we see the enormous pile of packaging in the yard and even more when General Waste himself is burried in all those boxes and packets. 

Luckily Gram-Gram is sensible, brave, and resourceful. She rescues the silly little man and then sets about showing him other ways of living. How to repair broken stuff, how to make new things from old stuff, how to cook, how to create, and how to grow a productive garden filled with food to share.

This book is didactic but it is also funny and wise and the illustrations are so lively. I think a class could find a lot to talk about on topics like consumerism, pollution, waste disposal, environmental action, packaging, and so on. 

Bookseller blurb: General Waste loves stuff! Wasting lots of stuff! He tosses away apples after one bite, he has hour-long showers, he must have the latest uniform fashion, and he rides around in a monster truck! He shares a house with Gram-Gram. She always saves her leftovers, does her own repairs and cycles everywhere! One day, when General Waste finds himself trapped under a mountain of his own stuff, Gram-Gram comes to the rescue ... General Waste is a hilarious tale about how to find joy in the simple things in life.

I picked up this book because I loved a precious book by Michel Streich. I also talked about The worst dog in the world.

Scary Bird

About Michel: I was born in the Westphalia region of Germany, where I grew up and studied visual communication and graphic design, specializing in illustration. After graduating, I moved to London and started my career as a freelance illustrator. Three years later, in 2000, I relocated to Australia, first basing myself in Sydney, and now in the Blue Mountains West of Sydney.

Three Dresses by Wanda Gibson

I was so proud of my three dresses. I took care of them so I'd always have 

one to wash, one to wear and one spare. 

This is a book that should be shared with children all over Australia (and beyond). For many children this story will be so thought provoking. Imagine if your Christmas present was a new dress - I am sure most little girls would be excited. And what if you were given three dresses - now that is sure to make you extra happy. But what if the three dresses were not new? These are second-hand dresses given to you by the Lutheran church. Have your emotions just been through a roller coaster? Now think about how you feel if these are your only dresses - your best dresses - your special dresses. 

"You should have seen the joy on our faces when we put on those second-hand dresses. We were so happy."

Wanda and her family live at Hope Vale Mission. This is her story. She was born in 1946. 

"When I was a kid, I went to school and had to work on the farm. After school, I did domestic duties for the Mission staff."

Now let's continue the story. The next thing to think about as you read this book is holidays. How long do your family have for a holiday? Where do you go and how do you get there? What do you do on your holiday?  Wanda and her family have just two weeks each year. Wanda packs her three dresses, one to wear, one to wash and one spare. 

"We didn't have bags, so we'd lay our dresses on the ground and roll them up like a little swag to carry on our backs. Mum and Dad would take tools, blankets, and mayie to eat. We all had to carry so much."

Compare this with your class discussion. The family will walk to their holiday destination, they have no suitcases and on the next page we read the journey takes two days. 

So now think about where they might be going? What will they do there? Where will they stay and what will they eat?

The group arrive at the beach. They set up a camp and catch fish, gather bush tucker and tell stories. Of course, eventually the holiday ends but the little girls in the family still have their precious dresses. And for Wanda, recalling her childhood, this is a very special memory. 

Blurb UQP: When Wanda Gibson was a little girl, her mum would tell her this as they packed to go on holidays. Wanda grew up on Hope Vale Mission in Far North Queensland, and her family were allowed only one short break away from work each year. At their special spot at the beach, they camped in the sandhills, cooked fresh fish on the fire and swam in the ocean. Beautifully illustrated with Wanda’s paintings, this heart-warming true story celebrates family time, connection to place and finding joy in the simple things, like your favourite three dresses.

Thank you to UQP for sending the advance copy of Three Dresses which will be published on 30th April, 2024. Make sure you add this to your library collection - Primary and High School. 

Wanda Gibson is a Nukgal Wurra woman of the Guugu Yimithirr people (on her mum’s side) and lives in Hope Vale on the Cape York Peninsula, Queensland. Her dad is a Yuuethawarra man and his country is around Cape Melville. Both of Wanda’s parents were Stolen Generation and were brought to Cape Bedford Mission when they were ten or twelve. Wanda is a master weaver – she weaves baskets, birds and fish from dried grass. She is also a painter and completed a Diploma of Visual Arts at Cairns TAFE in 2014. Wanda has five kids, eleven grandkids and five great-grandkids.

Companion books:

The Curious book of Lists by Tracey Turner and Caroline Selmes

It tells me on the cover this book contains 263 fun, fascinating and fact-filled lists.  Two hundred and sixty-three is an odd number - I guess their lists just evolved. They sure are random!

I do enjoy books like this that are filled with trivia but my Teacher-Librarian brain would have liked the list to be arranged in some sort of order. On any one page there is an assortment of unrelated lists. Here are a few examples. 

The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World; Cures for Hiccups; Three really big spiders; African countries; and Ancient Olympic sports.

Nobel Prize winners; Weird waterfalls; deadly snakes; Landlocked countries; and Very small cars.

Rulers with unflattering nicknames (Ivaylo the Cabbage from Bulgaria); Seven facts about cockroaches; Popular cat breeds; and Types of bears.

Luckily this book does have an index so if you have a favourite topic, you might find it on the list or you could use the index as a serendipitous way to explore this book.

Among the topics in the index that I would like to explore further I see:

• Animal astronauts
• Biggest gem stones
• Odd book titles
• Cheeses
• The meaning of flowers
• Fungai
• Hot air balloons
• Megacities
• Interesting animal names
• Sayings from around the world
• Superstitions

I borrowed this 2019 book from a library, so I am sorry to report that it is now out of print! If you can find it in your school or local library I think children who enjoy quirky facts would find this book a very absorbing one to read or dip into.

 Publisher blurb: Do you want to know about eight of the world’s deadliest snakes, forty-nine countries without a coastline and five fearless female warriors? Then look no further because The Curious Book of Lists by Tracey Turner is absolutely bursting with eye-popping and informative lists from around the world, guaranteed to keep you entertained and increase your general knowledge at the same time! Discover Ancient Greek monsters, presidential pets, dizzying mountain peaks, super-fast animals … and what not to mention at a donkey’s house.

B is for Baby by Atinuke illustrated by Angela Brooksbank

A big brother is taking a basket of bananas to his Baba (grandfather), but he does not realise the baby has stowed away and is now riding on the back of his bike - no wonder the banana basket is so heavy. The baby peeks out from under the basket lid and sees a butterfly and a beautiful bird. A mischievous baboon takes her basket lid and as they ride past a heavily laden bus the baby passes a banana to one of the passengers. Meanwhile the boy, wearing headphones, has no idea that all of this is happening behind his back. 

When he arrives, Baba reaches into the basket for a banana, and he finds the happy baby with her big smile. Everyone sits down to enjoy a fresh biscuit and a cool drink. The baby has certainly had a terrific adventure. I do enjoy stories which feature tricksters like this sweet baby. Oh, and it is fun to see all the ways this simple story incorporates so many words beginning with the letter B and so much action happens in the illustrations. Your young reading companion is sure to enjoy this visual storytelling. 

This is a clever and unusual book, with beautiful illustrations and a fun story that little children will delight in following. Atinuke’s books are always a feast for senses, showcasing the beauty of the author’s home. Book Trust

Companion book:

Atinuke was born in Nigeria and spent her childhood in both Africa and the UK. As a traditional oral storyteller, drawing upon her recent Yoruba ancestry, she visits schools and theatres all over the world. Atinuke is the author of the bestselling Anna Hibiscus fiction series, as well as the No. 1 Car Spotter series, and the picture books Baby Goes to Market also illustrated by Angela Brooksbank and Hugo illustrated by Birgitta Sif.

Angela Brooksbank worked as a designer and art director in the children's book industry before undertaking an MA at the Cambridge School of Art and turning her hand to her own illustration. Angela says, "I am constantly inspired by children’s energy and unique response to life and hope that my work conveys some of their playful spirit." Baby Goes to Market, written by Atinuke, was her debut picture book.

You might also like to look for:

This week I visited a charity book sale and I found 57 fantastic books for less than AUS$110. Among them was this one - in mint condition - ready to gift to a new baby (she is coming next month). This book was published in 2019 and I found a copy on an online bookseller site for over AUS$40 for the hardcover edition. I think the paperback edition might be available [9781406390872]. 

The Apprentice Witnesser by Bren McDibble

Once again Bren MacDibble takes us to a dystopian future world - this time set in Queensland. We have wrecked the world. There is no electricity and no cars and worse there are now diseases. Blame comes from both sides - the sides in this book are women versus men. This disease seems to affect men more than women so in this divided world women live a subsistence life in make-shift villages and men have been sent into the mountains. If baby boys are born, they are dressed up as girls so they can stay in the community. Bastienne, a young girl, has been rescued by Lodyma. Lodyma's own son has been banished from the community following the death of her older son and husband. 

"Both Lodyma's own kids were boys. When the sickness spreads it always takes the men. Lodyma says women and girls got different immune systems better able to put up with the sickness .. "

Bastienne Scull is nearly twelve years old, and she lives a simple life as an apprentice to the Witnesser of Miracles in a small village mostly populated by women and girls. Basti knows that miracle-hunting is a lot like mystery-solving, and her little world is full of wonder and intrigue and unexpected adventure. Lodyma is a witnesser. 

"She's witnesser of miracles. People want to think she's special. ...  We have markets here three nights a week. That's a lot of miracles we gotta hunt down on the other four days. Lodyma's been witness to more that a hundred miracles, so she can get through them over and over."

The 'miracles' are not really miracles, but Lodyma is a brilliant storyteller and so people 'pay' for her performances with produce and occasional coins. Basti keeps the crowd together and she sells peanuts from a local farm, and these also bring a few coins. Lodyma 'proves' her miracles with photographic evidence. I enjoyed the references to 'old tech' in this story. Lodyma has an instamatic camera. She has a limited amount of 'film' but Basti has the task of recording any 'miracles' they encounter. Basti is a very observant girl, so even though she should not waste this precious resource, she takes other photos too - photos of precious interactions between people - photos that show love. 

"I don't say nothing about the other photos tucked away in my bag. The one where the fruit vendor gave those two little kids a memory they'll keep in their hearts forever, and hopefully the one of Lodyma in the shade, along with some other special photos I've taken."

Here are descriptions of the landscape:

"Far as I can tell, the collapse was when the climate got hotter, the cities washed into the sea and pollution and diseases took out most of the people."

"Over the hills, the streets are a mess. Abandoned trucks, dumped tyres, wire fences fallen down, warehouses torn open and bits and pieces pulled out and scattered everywhere. Rusty hunks of machinery things, I dunno what. Plastic contains that's cracked and faded, bits of piping and taps and sinks and old cupboards left out in the weather to swell and collapse."

Someone is selling plastic shoes at the market and then two young boys arrive and summon Lodyma to another distant settlement. Lodyma and Basti make an amazing discovery about the factory that makes the shoes but more importantly, in the monastery at Ravenshoe, they find a young wild girl. Her eyes match the strange pattern of Lodyma's - is it possible that she is the daughter of her lost son? 

So now we have a group of three and Basti is no longer sure of her place - will Lodyma really want an apprentice? Perhaps Basti will need to resign herself to tedious work at the peanut farm. She becomes deeply unhappy and angry (but she holds her anger inside). Meanwhile caring for little Raveena is a full-time job. This little girl, aged five or six, is such a wild spirit and her life story is a mystery which Basti is determined to solve. As it says in the blurb below - finding this little girl will change all their lives. Is she the real miracle?

Publisher blurb: Bastienne Scull is a young orphan who lives with the local Witnesser of Miracles, Lodyma Darsey, who investigates 'miraculous events' and spins them into stories she tells at the night markets. After Lodyma's husband and elder son died of a sickness that continues to sweep the land, she sent her teenage son Osmin into the hills to live with the mountain men. That was ten years ago, and Lodyma doesn't know if he's alive or dead. And she's taken Bastienne as an apprentice to fill the void of her lost family. One day, two young boys arrive in town asking Lodyma to go on a mysterious mission to a monastery. And when Lodyma and Bastienne arrive, what they discover will change their lives.

I do enjoy books where the author makes you work hard to fill in the gaps and also books where at the end things come together - not in a saccharine, we all live happily ever after way, but in a very satisfying way, allowing a character whom you have come to care deeply about to have the promise of a better life. And I did care very deeply about Basti. The final chapters of this book are especially wonderful. If I was 'hand selling' this book to a reader in my library (or even in a bookshop) I would explain that readers do need to stick with this story because the ending will make your heart melt with happiness. I recommend this book for all fans of Bren MacDibble aged 11+. Congratulations to the publisher Allen and Unwin and the cover designer/artist Julie Hunt - this book has such an arresting cover which is sure to grab the attention of readers. Take a look at the labels I have assigned to this post - suspicion, survival, and belonging. There is also the issue of the best ways to express love in a family. There are tiny moments in this story when you deeply feel the way Basti just longs to be loved by Lodyma. 

Huge thanks to Three Sparrows Bookshop who let me read the advance reader copy of The Apprentice Witnesser. It will be published on 30th April 2024.

Here is an audio book review from New Zealand. 

How to Bee

The Dog Runner

The Raven's Song

Across the Risen Sea

Little Treasure by Chanelle Gosper illustrated by Jennifer Goldsmith

 

Publisher blurb: A mother and child explore a deserted beach on a windy day. It is an afternoon they will both treasure always. A poetic and tender book about how the small moments spent together are often the most precious.

One of the important "outcomes" that comes from reading a well written and beautifully illustrated picture book to a child (of any age) is they will hear rich language.  Look at these examples from Little Treasure:

"A smooth purple pebble with silvery lines, a seaweed strand with beads so fine, blue sea glass in the shape of a bell, and a tiny pale pink heart-shaped shell."

"A piece of the night sky that fell from the stars, a necklace of green stones sparkling like glass, a precious sapphire as blue as can be, and a perfectly pink charm of the sea."

I don’t think there is one straight line anywhere in any of the images in the book. The illustrations have a fluidity that capture the shifting nature of the beach setting and the make-believe scenes from the characters’ imaginations. Towards the end of the book, we begin to grasp the dual meaning of the title, Little Treasure. For while the child is lost in her world of seaside treasures, the mother is treasuring the experience of being with her innocent, inquisitive daughter. Reading Time

The ordinary becomes the extraordinary as shells and seaweed become a mermaids’ jewels; a ship on the horizon transports treasure to unknown places; footsteps in the sand become pathways to new adventures and undiscovered worlds.  And throughout it all, is threaded the unending love between mother and child fed by the small moments that become memories and the joy of sharing them in a timeless bubble, reminding us that those are the most precious things of all. The Bottom Shelf

Stop and look at the end papers and then next time you visit the seaside you might look for this seaweed that is like a string of pearls. I found the scientific name for Neptunes Pearls Hormosira banksii.

Image source iNaturalist New Zealand

Little Treasure is a 2024 CBCA Notable Picture Book. 

The Growing Story by Ruth Krauss illustrated by Helen Oxenbury

A little boy has a puppy and some chickens. He asks his mum 'Will the chicks grow? Will the puppy grow? Will I grow too?'

He watches the seasons change. The flowers grow, the trees grow, the corn grows in the field, the chicks become chickens and the puppy becomes an adult dog but what about the little boy? As Winter turns to Spring his mother packs his warm clothes into a box.

Spring, Summer, Autumn and then it is Winter again. 

"The little boy put on his warm trousers again and looked in the mirror. 'My trousers are too tight. The legs are too short.' .. 'My coat is too tight. The sleeves are too short."

I'm sure you know what has happened.

I picked this book up from our local charity bookfair today (it only cost $2). It has a dust cover! and under the cover there is a height chart to display for your child. The illustrations by the wonderful Helen Oxenbury are scrumptious. I will gift this book to the mum of a new baby. The new baby will arrive in early May. 

From the publisher: A classically beautiful picture book from Helen Oxenbury and Ruth Krauss. Share the universal experience of growing up and discover the rhythms of the seasons in this wonderfully timeless story. A little boy, some chicks and a puppy live on a farm. They see the first signs of spring growing in the fields and the little boy asks his mother if he and the puppy will grow too. Of course you will, she assures him, and as spring turns to summer he sees his dog growing taller and the chicks become chickens. But as the seasons change and everything grows around him, the little boy feels like he has stayed the same. Can he really be growing too?

The text of this book was written by Ruth Krauss in 1947. Later this book was published in 1975 and then in 2007 Helen Oxenbury added her illustrations. I think this book well deserves the label classic.

Companion book:

Big

You could also look for these:

When you're older

Milly and the Mulberry Tree

I read a review that also recommend this one too:

Wings, Waves and Webs: Patterns in Nature by Robin Mitchell Cranfield

Image from the author web page

Teachers of the preschool groups who visit the library I visit each week often ask for books about patterns. I am guessing this topic must be part of their curriculum. 

My friend from kinderbookswitheverything has a fabulous collection of books about patterns. This one is very special. 

What is a pattern? "Anything repeated in a regular way can form a pattern. A circular shape repeated again and again becomes a dotty pattern we call spots. .... This book is about patterns we can see in nature; some are big, some wild, some beautiful, in rivers and snowflakes and eggshells and clouds."

Publisher blurb: From the dots on a ladybug to the spiral on a snail, patterns in nature can be found anywhere. This simple and playful concept book introduces the littlest of readers to both math and nature while engaging their creative potential. By the end, kids will be able to identify:

• Spots and stripes
• Spirals and symmetry
• Waves and honeycombs
• And more

Simple and bright, the artwork pleases the eye as much as it invites young readers to try their hands at copying patterns in their own drawings. The end result is a thoroughly grounded introduction that takes readers a step beyond shape recognition. The final spread depicts a cheerful nature scene and encourages readers to identify as many patterns as they can. A surefire way to get children excited about observing their world. Kirkus

On the author page you will find a link to teachers notes plus other examples of pages from this book. 

Here is part of the end paper image:

I would pair this book with:

My First book of Patterns

Clever Crow by Chris Butterworth illustrated by Olivia Lomenech Gill

I am awarding this book first prize for cover design and oh my goodness you will love the end papers in this book - eggs of all colours and patterns at the front with little scientific old fashioned typed labels and at the back you can see the adult birds - all the different types of crows! 

This book combines a brief lyrical text with smaller font facts about this fascinating bird - the crow. Here are a few interesting facts:

• There are over 100 types of birds in the crow family
• Ravens are the biggest crows
• Scientists think crows might be the smartest of all birds - their skull holds a very big brain

Crows are incredibly smart and adaptable birds, capable of problem-solving, mimicking sounds, and forming lifelong bonds with their mates. They have a diverse diet and are known for their mischievous behavior. Crows have a complex social structure, with large groups called “murders” and a unique flying style. They are associated with folklore and mythology,and are highly protective of their territory. Fifteen facts about Crows

Read here about crows in Australia.

Look at these names - they are all from the crow (Corvid) family: Blue Jay; Rook; Jackdaw; Nutcracker; Chough; Magpie; Eurasian Jay and Rufous Treepie. 

Here are some quotes from the lyrical text:

"Wherever you are right now, there's sure to be a crow to two not far away."

"Crows are easy to spot, but they're also easy to miss, too."

"And crows are not fantastic fliers - they don't zoom like arrows or soar like kites. Crows just flap steadily on."

"Crows croak or caw instead of singing. They sound like birds with very soar throats!"

This is not mentioned in this book, but I thought about the way in many cultures, crows are seen as symbols of death or bad omens, while in others they are seen as symbols of intelligence or good luck. In Greek mythology, the crow is associated with Apollo, the god of prophecy and divination. The crow was believed to be a messenger of the gods and was often depicted carrying messages between the mortal and spiritual realms. In Native American mythology, crows are often seen as tricksters and are revered for their intelligence and resourcefulness. In many cultures, the crow is also seen as a symbol of death and is often associated with the aftermath of battle or with cemeteries. From birdsadvice

Gill’s standout mixed-media illustrations feature individual and group portraits of numerous crows and crow cousins, stylishly rendered in fine, exact detail. These visuals, along with a gallery of eggs, will draw the eye first, but young audiences will find Butterworth’s rapturous observations, delivered in multiple sizes of type, likewise worth lingering over. Kirkus

There is one important thing missing from this book - which is odd. I read that is part of the wonderful series Nature Storybooks (every school library should aim to collect ALL of these) but nowhere on this book does that label appeal - I wonder why. This series used to be called Read and Wonder.

Chris Butterworth is the author of over seventy books, mostly non-fiction, and has written on subjects as diverse as disasters, hiccoughs, basketball and snakes. She has written a number of non-fiction titles for Walker, including The Things that I LOVE about TREES, illustrated by Charlotte Voake, Where Do Clothes Come From? and the winner of the American Farm Bureau's Book of the Year, Lunchbox: The Story of Your Food, both illustrated Lucia Gaggiotti.

Olivia Lomenech Gill is a fine artist and illustrator. She worked with Michael and Clare Morpurgo on Where My Wellies Take Me, shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway medal, illustrated the new edition of J. K. Rowling's Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and, most recently, Medusa, written by Jessie Burton.

Butterfly Park by Elly Mackay

Moving to her new house in an area that seems drab and grey a little girl notices a sign - Butterfly Park - but sadly there are no butterflies. I love that she takes a gift when she makes her first visit - "for it was always smart to make a good first impression."

There are butterflies in the town but when a young boy helps her catch one and then release it in the Butterfly Park it just flutters away. What is missing? Have you guessed? YES butterflies need flowers for their nectar. But how can this one girl bring flowers to the park - the answer is she cannot do this alone - this is the time for community action. The results are wonderful and Elly Mackay celebrates the renewal of the park with a double spread fold out page showing all the flowers, butterflies and happy children.  Make sure you look at the perfect end papers too. And if you can find this book I have read that under the dust jacket there is a surprise. You can see inside this book here. 

I live in Australia and yes, I do talk about our books, but I also love to share books from around the world. I was thrilled to discover this book, which comes from Canada. It was published in 2015 but it is still available and for a good price. I suggest adding this book to your shopping list today - I'm not sure it will be available much longer?

Book seller blurb: When a little girl moves to a new town, she finds a place called Butterfly Park. But when she opens the gate, there are no butterflies. Determined to lure the butterflies in, the girl inspires her entire town to help her. And with their combined efforts, soon the butterflies, and the girl, feel right at home. Elly MacKay's luminous paper-cut illustrations and enchanting story encourage community, friendship, and wonderment in the beauty of everyday life. 

The feel-good messages of enjoying nature, rehabilitating under-used green space, and community-building are presented organically in the story, which moves at a pleasantly even pace. But the real treat here is the art. MacKay in in top form, and readers will delight in the mix of colours, textures, and perspectives she employs in creating the visual elements of this lovely book. Quill and Quire

Elly MacKay is an award winning picture book maker living in Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada with her family. She is the author and illustrator of several books such as Butterfly Park, Red Sky at Night and If You Hold a Seed. She attended the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design as well as The University of Canterbury with a focus on printmaking and illustration. She also has a Bachelor of Education from Nipissing University. Elly taught both in schools and as an educator at galleries before pursuing a career in picture books. You can follow her work on Instagram.

I would pair Butterfly Park with this one:

Butterflies belong here

In an interview with NPR Elly Mackay to talk about her illustrations in The Enchanted Symphony (by Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton) explained her art process: She starts by building miniature sets, complete with the scenery and characters. Then she lights and photographs them, giving the images a more three-dimensional quality. You can read more about this here. 

This illustrated style reminded me of Soyeon Kim and her use of dioramas. I also thought of The Secret Sky Garden which is one of my favourite books. 

Here are other books illustrated by Elly Mackay: