Platypus Bend by Diane Jackson Hill illustrated by Craig Smith

The rivulet begins high on a mountain top. It twists and turns and turns and twists 

until it swirls around a bend and softens into a calm pool...

No-one knows – but in that pool there is a secret.

We have some truly curious creatures here in Australia - the kangaroo, koala, numbat, wombat, potoroo, frilled-neck lizard, goanna, dingo, Tasmanian Tiger, emu, echidna, quokka, and birds like the kookaburra and lyrebird but one of my favourites is the platypus. Sadly, I have never seen one except in a zoo, and when you read Platypus Bend it is very clear why because this special solitary monotreme is very good at hiding in order to stay safe.

The joy of this book, apart from reading and learning more about the platypus, comes from the wonderful depictions of our Australian bush by Craig Smith. Take a look at this gentle video made by Craig Smith to showcase his book. And in this video Craig talks about his book. Please watch the video - it will give you a terrific insight into Craig's work as an illustrator.

Image source: Museums Victoria

As we observe the life of the platypus you need to notice the parallel story of the family who live near the creek. This illustration which is part of a larger double spread shows the family moving into their new home.

The fact section at the back of Platypus Bend made me smile with their creative heading - Platypus Particulars. 

Read about the Citizen Scientist project - The Great Australian Platypus search. Here are some classroom resources. 

I am sharing this book today (24th February) because tonight the CBCA will announce their 2026 Book of the Year Notable titles. I am absolutely certain Platypus Bend will be one of the over one hundred titles. Platypus Bend fits into the Eve Pownall Award for Non Fiction.

Look for other books in your local or school library about this curious creature [599.29] - The Platypus: In 2020 I penned this blog post. 

Here are three other books where Diane Jackson Hill and Craig Smith have collaborated.

Windcatcher

Koala Lou by Mem Fox illustrated by Pamela Lofts

"There was once a baby koala so soft and round that all her saw her loved her. 

Her name was Koala Lou."

One hundred times a day her mother would say 'Koala Lou, I DO love you!'. But over time more babies arrive and Koala Lou's mother becomes very busy. She no longer stops to say 'I do love you' although of course she did. Koala Lou wants her mother to hug her again so she decides to enter the Bush Olympics. If she can win then her mother will surely say 'I do love you' once again. 

"It was Koala Klaws who went first. Her climb was a record-breaking twenty-two metres in seventy seconds flat. The spectators whistled and cheered and wildly waved their holiday hats."

Now it is time for Koala Lou. 

"But she wasn't fast enough. In spite of all her training and all her hoping, it was Koala Klaws who won the gum-tree climbing. Koala Lou came second. Koala Lou went off and hid. She heard the shouts of the Bush Olympics and cried her heart out."

I think you will be able to guess how this story ends - with those all important words - Koala Lou I DO love you. Yes - that is the illustration on the cover - it comes right at the end of the book.

This book is a perfect ambassador for Australia - on this page you can see our Flannel Flowers and Kangaroo Paws (flowers) and animals in the story include the platypus, emu and in the illustrations you will spy a quoll, bilby, numbat, possum, Tasmania devil, and a galah.

Bookseller blurb: There was once a baby koala, so soft and round that all who saw her loved her. Her name was Koala Lou. Koala Lou is the first born in a large family. She feels sad because her mother seems too busy to pay her any attention. Perhaps if she wins the tree-climbing at the Bush Olympics her mother might notice her again . . . Koala Lou starts her training right away!

Mem Fox talks about writing this book here. She says: A grueling two years and 49 drafts later, the final 585 words of Koala Lou were published ...  You can see a full set of books by Mem Fox here. 

There are quite a few videos of Koala Lou - if you need to 'read' the book this way try to find one with an Australian voice. The toy of Koala Lou is no longer available.

A few days ago, I listed some books you could share with your child or in your library about Australia perhaps for Australia Day (26th January) and one I mentioned was Koala Lou. This means I discovered I had not talked about this book which is such fun to read aloud.

In 2023 Koala Lou (1988) was 35 years old and a special anniversary edition was released:

And here is the US cover:

Pamela Lofts (1949-2012) is also famous for Wombat Stew, Hunwick's Egg and Sail Away: The Ballad of Skip and Nell.

Blurb: The dingo pair set out to sea - their hearts were beating fast. Their boat was but a redgum log with neither sail nor mast. Follow intrepid adventurers, Skip and Nell, as they travel round Australia 

on their way to that boat race way out west.

Dingo's Dream by Helen Milroy

Bookseller blurb: There is someone in distress, but who? Dingo checks on everyone in his community but they're all fine. He mounts a search and rescue mission. He searches all over the countryside until he stumbles across his homeland he hasn't visited for many years and is now an empty landscape. They find a strange animal stranded at the bottom of ravine. It was Dingo s country that called him to rescue the stranger - a Tasmanian Devil a long way from home. Dingo remembers the packs of dingoes who sang at sunset long ago and he goes back and sings, and soon many packs of dingoes are singing at sunset again. Tasmanian Devil helps Dingo on his way home and tells all the dingoes across the land, their country is calling them home.

The stunning illustrations on glossy pages are a visual delight with the white text being a standout feature. This skilfully written narrative is highly accessible and would be a perfect read for those Early Years children seeking an early chapter book or would be an entertaining short novel to be read aloud in class. Read Plus

Read more about Dingoes - Bush Heritage Australia.

Taronga Zoo

This book is part of a series by Helen Milroy from Magabala Books (thanks for my review copy). Dingo's Dream is the first book from the second series. You should try to collect all of these for your school library. 

Tales from the Bush Mob are books about a group of animals who work together to solve problems. These stories emphasise the value of respect for First Nations culture and country, as well as the importance of courage, perseverance and wisdom to bind communities together.

Each book shares a rich landscape of characters and places, including Dingo, Willy-willy Wagtail, Eagle, Platypus, Koala, Wombat, Kookaburra, Echidna and Kangaroo. These stories emphasise the value of respect for First Nations culture and country, as well as the importance of courage, 

perseverance and wisdom to bind communities together.

Helen Milroy is a born storyteller and a talented artist. She is a descendant of the Palyku people of the Pilbara region of Western Australia but was born and educated in Perth. Currently Helen is the University of Western Australia and Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation Professor in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Commissioner with the National Mental Health Commission. Helen has been on state and national mental health and research advisory committees and boards with a particular focus on Indigenous mental health as well as the wellbeing of children.

Going Fishing with Nana by Frances and Lindsay Haji-ali illustrated by Karen Briggs

 

"As the sun rises on brand new day.

It's time to pick up Nana. We're going fishing today."

Publisher blurb: This ... children’s picture book takes readers on an exciting fishing trip with Nana in the far north of Australia. Through repetition and rhyme, readers are introduced to early education concepts such as ordinal numbers, counting by twos, and adjectives, all while seeing many cute and cheeky outback animals along the way.

Thanks to Magabala Books for sending a review copy.

Things I like about this book:

• Map end papers - this really is a mud map because for much of this journey across remote areas of Western Australia I am sure there would be no paved roads - but you could also talk to your students about the real meaning of the term mud map
• You could use the map on the end papers to compare the way we draw maps and also to locate this area on a larger map of Australia
• After talking about the map grab your copy of Are We There yet by Alison Lester or Dirt by Sea by Michael Wagner.
• I'm curious about the dedication to the children of Roper River and Manyallaluk School (perhaps the author worked there)
• Taking this book further than counting one to ten but also including the idea of doubling number gives this book scope for discussion and innovating on the text
• The inclusion of less well-known Australian birds such as jabirus and pink galahs
• It would be good to share this book with a preschool group as a way to practice counting and also introduce doubles

Things I wish the publisher had done differently:

• This book has less visual appeal because with the use of digital illustrations - although the notes say they are created "using acrylic paint on canvas paper" so perhaps it is the high gloss paper that gives the illustrations a digital feel
• I am not a fan of cartoon-style faces and eyes (especially on the frog, snake and children)

If your young reading companion is keen on fishing here are a few other titles to explore. 

Here is the companion book:

Frances Haji-Ali is an educator. She has worked in Catholic schools across the Kimberley and is currently a school principal in Perth. Frances is a non-Indigenous collaborator.

Lindsay Haji-Ali is a descendant of the Yawuru/Karajarri people of the West Kimberley region of Western Australia. He is an accomplished artist and his designs and artworks are held in private and corporate collections.

Karen Briggs is an illustrator, graphic and digital designer, and contemporary First Nations artist. She is a Yorta Yorta woman whose ancestral homeland radiates from the junction of the Goulburn and Murray Rivers in Northeast Victoria. Karen illustrates from her home in the Adelaide Hills and runs her own freelance design business. Her first book was Kick with my Left Foot written by Paul Seden, was published by Allen and Unwin in 2014, and shortlisted for the CBCA Crichton Award in 2015. Long-Listed, CBCA Book of the Year, Early Childhood, 2015. Short-Listed, Speech Pathology Book of The Year Awards - Indigenous Children, 2015.

You're Too Little by Katie Stewart

You have big eyes to see in the dark.

You have strong paws to hold on.

And you have a super special tail.

You have want it takes. Why not give it a go?

Bookseller blurb: Pygmy Possum wants to climb far, far up into the trees to taste the sweet blossom nectar. But everyone keeps telling her the same thing- 'It's very high. You're too little. You might fall.' Are they right, or will she find a way? This is a gentle tale of believing in yourself in the face of others' doubt and recognising your own strengths.

The main character in this story of bravery and confidence is a Western Pygmy Possum. Here is a photo:

Image source: Australian Geographic

Books with a repeated refrain are perfect for preschoolers either to read beside your own child or with a group. I like the way the Australian animals in this book really look like real animals and also the choices of animals are perfect because many of these will be less well known to young readers and so might spark some curiosity. 

Image Source: WA Museum

Katie Stewart reads her book in this video. Here are the teaching notes from the publisher. As background reading for teachers or if you set a research task for older students you might like to read more about each of the Australian animals in this story:

• Western Pygmy Possum
• Numbat
• Brushtail Possum
• Gecko
• Weebill

This is a Weebill - I had not heard of this bird

Image Source: Birdlife

This is a gentle tale of believing in yourself in the face of others’ doubt and recognising your own strengths, to have faith in yourself regardless of others’ opinions and develop resilience, perseverance and that inner strength that allows risk-taking as well as dealing with success and failure. The Bottom Shelf

Thanks to Fremantle Press for sending me a copy of this book which was published on 29th July 2025. This book reminded me a little of Puffling. If you are talking about growing up, confidence, perseverance, self belief and 'the right time' you could read these two books side by side.

The story is set at night because these animals are nocturnal but that gives rise to my only tiny criticism of this book - I found myself wanting a break from the strong saturated blue of the night sky which is used on every page. 

This book is part of a series:

Katie Stewart is an author and illustrator. Born in the north of England, she came to Australia at the age of nine. She started her working life as an archaeologist and ethnohistorian, went on to teaching and then to being a mother. She later worked in a school library, but her lifelong dream was to be what she is now. She is married to a farmer, has three children, and her great love of animals means she has a lot of pets and takes lots of nature photos. In her spare time, she tries to play the harp or wanders the countryside with a metal detector amusing the neighbours and occasionally finding an interesting piece of history. Her books have been shortlisted for the Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year (2020 and 2021) and shortlisted for the WA Premier’s Book Awards (2022).

Rakali of the Riverbank by Stephanie Owen Reeder illustrated by Rachel Gregg

Just when you thought you had heard of every possible animal in Australia another one pops up. Of course we all know our platypus, another amphibious mammal, but what about the rakali? He is our largest native rodent. A rodent is an animal with strong incisor teeth for gnawing food. 

Bookseller blurb: Explore the night with Rakali as he hunts for food, patrols the riverbank and dodges threats. As the sun sets, Rakali prepares to patrol the riverbank. He is on a mission to fill his belly, protect his pups and keep his home safe. But he must face feral foxes, disease-carrying black rats and toxic cane toads. Will he make it safely back to his burrow before the sun rises? Rakali of the Riverbank is an engaging look at a night in the life of an Australian native water rat, and the challenges that these unique and charming creatures face.

This is another triumph for Stephanie Owen Reeder and, of course, CSIRO Publishing. Just so Stories

POST UPDAE: The rakali has won Australia's most Underrated Animal for 2025. 65,000 people voted over 15 days and the results ended in a list of ten - with the rakali declared winner. 

Things I learned from reading this book:

• The rakali is one of Australia’s only mammals to safely enjoy a meal of the highly toxic cane toad. Intelligent and resourceful, the water rat flips the toad over to avoid the poisonous glands found on the back of the toad’s neck and uses surgical-like precision to neatly remove the heart, liver, and toxic gall bladder before eating the rest.
• The rakali is one of only two amphibious mammals in Australia. The other is the platypus.
• They are also known as a golden-bellied water mouse or native water rat.
• Rakalis grow up to 60 cm long. Being the largest rat in Australia, they are useful to have around as they actually fight off introduced rats. You can tell them apart from introduced rats by their pale belly, mass of whiskers and the white tip on the end of their tail.
• The name rakali comes from the Ngarrindjeri people of the Murray River in South Australia. 
• They live beside estuaries, creeks, rivers, lakes and wetlands.
• The female cares for two to four young while the male patrols his territory. He sleeps in a separate burrow. 
• The scientific name is Hydromys chrysogaster
• Waterproof fur that dries quickly once on land.
• Elongated body shape which is perfectly adapted to glide through the water.
• Small ears that can be folded against its head and whiskers that surround the face, which are highly sensitive and help it to forage underwater at night.
• Partially webbed hind feet.
• Can grow up to 70 cm in length from nose to tip of the tail and weigh a little over a kilogram (about the size of an adult platypus).

Further reading:

• Backyard Buddies
• Australian Geographic
• inaturalist (great photos)

Image source: Ballarat Times

The format of this book is similar to the splendid Nature Storybooks (formerly called Read and Wonder). The main pages contain a narrative where we meet Rakali and see him hunting and protecting his territory and then on the final four pages you can read all about this curious animal and use the glossary to explore unfamiliar words. You can download the teachers notes here. 

The text in this book does give you all the facts about this little creature but it is expressed with very lyrical language:

Rakail's golden belly gleams as rays of light kiss the river goodnight.
A cape of ripples flows out behind him.

He charges at the toxic toad, sending the started creature sprawling on its back.

Moon shadows dance and a cool breeze ruffles his soggy fur.

And there are some fabulous words to explore with your reading companion such as hunkering, lurks, consume, humungous, abandoned, and gravelly sand.

Let's think for a moment about rodents - this could be a fabulous mini topic in your library. Some of my own favourite animals are rodents - the beaver; the capybara; the guinea pig; hamster; vole; squirrel; and porcupine. I also discovered there is a rodent called a kangaroo rat but this creature is not even Australian! It lives in North America. In Australia we have or have had at one time 57 different Australian rodents - I was utterly amazed to discover this.

Huge thanks to CSIRO Publishing for sending me a copy of this book. It was published just yesterday so it will be easy to find in your local bookstore. If your school buys a standing order of new titles this book will be included. You are sure to enjoy sharing this book with your youngest readers in your school library. I would begin my reading by talking about animal heroes - the rakali is a hero in my view because he is helping, in his own small way, with the elimination of those dreadful cane toads. 

Dr Stephanie Owen Reeder is the author of over 20 historical and environmental books for children, including Swifty and Sensational Australian Animals. She has won both the CBCA Book of the Year Award and the NSW Premier’s History Award.

Here is the list from Science week of the top ten most underrated animals from Australia - how many do you know?

1.Rakali

2.Palm cockatoo

3.Giant cuttlefish

4.Dugong

5.Marsupial mole

6.Turtle frog

7.Velvet worm

8.Great desert skink

9.Ghost bat

10.Short-finned eel

Little Puggle's Song by Vikki Conley illustrated by Helene Magisson

All of the birds contribute to the bush chorus. You can hear the little blue wren, the fantail, the Sulphur crested cockatoo, and the laughter of Brown Feather. Little Puggle longs to join them but he just cannot make a sound. Even the Kangaroo and Koala can grunt and click. Brown Feather is in charge of the orchestra. Brown Feather is a kookaburra but on the day they all need to sing to help the emu family with their eggs, Brown Feather is ill. How can the chorus still sing without their leader? Little Puggle has the answer. He has been quietly watching Brown Feather. He plucks a long quill from his back and the singing can begin!

Little Puggle's Song was a Notable Early Childhood Book of the Year by The Children's Book Council of Australia in 2020. Here are some brief teachers notes. I this interview Vikki Conley talks about the inspiration for her story and here is her webpage. Read this extensive review on The Neverending Bookshelf. In this video Vikki Conley reads her book. 

This deceptively simple story is  all about joining in, finding your own special talent and the warmth of community and of course, the power of music. Sure to appeal to the very young and everybody else as well. Storylinks

The stand out illustrations with beautiful colour and light create a dreamy Australian setting, and an instant connection with Little Puggle’s character. Vikki Conley’s captivating story-telling and Helene Magison’s pictures flow and lift each other to make a wholesome and stunning book with a cover so delightful that it warmed my heart before I even opened it. Kids' Book Review

Early in 2024 Orchestra Victoria turned Little Puggle's Song into a performance - I wish I had known about this - it must have been very special.

Hello and welcome to Little Puggles Song, one of Orchestra Victoria’s special Storytime Series, designed for our young and young-at-heart audiences. Telling stories is at the heart of what we do here at Orchestra Victoria, and we are so thrilled to bring you Vikki Conley’s book in a new and interactive way, with an enthralling composition by well-known composer Maria Grenfell and featuring a selection of our talented Orchestra Victoria musicians. We hope you enjoy the musical prowess of today’s performance as they bring this exciting musical score to life telling the story of Puggle, the young echidna who wants to find his voice so he can take part in the bush choir.

Here is the sequel:

I guess by now you have worked out the word puggle is the term for a baby echidna. I have often thought I would love to talk to an international audience of children's literature fans about our Australian animals and the way they are portrayed in picture books - especially the less well-known animals such as the echidna. 

• Echidnas, along with the platypus, are the only mammals known to lay eggs, placing them in the unique mammalian subclass of monotremes.
• An echidna’s tongue can shoot out of its snout at remarkable speeds, up to 100 times per minute, to capture ants and termites.
• Echidnas have a highly developed sense of smell and a significant portion of their brain is dedicated to olfactory processing.
• Echidnas make up 4 of the 5 surviving species of monotremes.
• Echidnas are great swimmers.
• Echidnas are covered in quills. These quills are made of keratin, the same material that makes up hair, claws, and fur. The keratin proteins harden into spikes that protect the echidna from harsh conditions and predators.
• Echidnas are powerful diggers.
• They produce milk from patches of skin. Young echidnas suckle on these patches and draw milk through pores in the mother echidna’s skin.
• Young echidnas suckle on these patches and draw milk through pores in the mother echidna’s skin.

I previously talked about these books by Vikki Conley:

Under the red shawl

Amira's Suitcase

Milly and the Mulberry tree

And I previously talked about these book illustrated by Helene Magisson:

Sarah's Two Nativities

The secret boat

Quickly Quickly

Before you were born

Life in a Hollow by David Gullan illustrated by Suzanne Houghton

"The rosellas were noisy and made quite a mess, but the hollow was perfectly made for a nest. Two rosellas came in to rest as a pair. After a while, another was there!"

This is a book that should be added to every Australian Primary school library. It is the perfect combination of an engaging narrative, life-like illustrations, and extra fact pages plus a glossary for curious readers. You might also like to explore and purchase other terrific books from the CSIRO.

"Tree hollows are home to an incredible variety of birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals of all shapes and sizes. Small, young hollows house hungry little insects, such as termites and beetles, that eat away at the wood making the hollow bigger."

As the hollow becomes bigger and bigger different animals make use of the space in a variety of ways. 

I love the scribbly gum that contains the hollow - scribbly gums are among my own favourite trees. And in this book children will meet some different animals - Longhorn Beetle; Three-toed Skink; Yellow-bellied sheath-tailed bat (at 7-9am they are so tiny); Crimson Rosella and Brushtail Possum.

From this link you can find the CSIRO teachers notes for Life in a Hollow. Here is the webpage for Suzanne Houghton. I previously talked about her wonderful Christmas Beetle book. 

The simple beauty of this book allows the reader to seamlessly follow the narrative, and then be directed to conduct more research if desired. Kids' Book Review

In this beautifully illustrated new book from CSIRO publishing, teacher/author David Gullan not only shares the story of one such hollow but makes the reader aware of their importance in nature’s life cycles, and how fire, land clearing and storms can have a devastating effect on the availability of such important habitats. The Bottom Shelf

The book doesn’t just tell a story; it also imparts important information about the significance of tree hollows in the ecosystem. It explains how these hollows are created, how different species adapt them to their needs, and why protecting the trees that provide this valuable shelter is crucial. Reading Time

Companion book:

The Black Cockatoo with one Feather Blue by Jodie McLeod illustrated by Eloise Short

If you begin with the title, you might anticipate this book is told in rhyme. "One Feather Blue" not one blue feather. Then turn the page and read the rhyming text:

"It was a magic feather, powering her wings. With her feather she could do incredible things."

BUT later we read

"When her feather disappeared, her dazzle did too. Her courage, her cleverness poof! - into the blue."

So, the cockatoo sets off to find her feather asking all the bush animals to help her - the wise emu, the brave kangaroo, and the kind quolls. This repetition means this book will be enjoyed by children aged 4+. And the happy ending will give everyone a smile.

The end notes in this book explain there are five different species of Black Cockatoo in Australia. They can have red, yellow, orange or white markings. The bird featured in this book is a female red-tailed black cockatoo. Currently four of the five species are under threat due to land clearing for agriculture, mining or logging. There is also the huge issue of bushfires.

The Cockatoo with one Feather Blue is a CBCA 2024 Notable title. Here are the comments by the judges:

A delightful narrative that explores themes of identity, friendship and kindness through anthropomorphic Australian characters that embark on an adventurous quest. From its  attractive cover and appealing silhouette endpapers, to its heart-warming resolution, this high-quality production is suited to younger readers. The undulating rhyme and almost musical rhythm flows wonderfully, with the clever use of alliteration and repetition adding to its read-aloud appeal. The highly accomplished illustrations, using muted and earthy tones, complement and enhance the written verse and facilitate a joyful celebration of 

the Australian bush setting. The final page of the book provides readers with further information about black cockatoos in Australia and urges readers to help save the habitat of black cockatoos.

Author webpage. Illustrator webpage. And here are some teaching notes. Or try this link.  This is not perfect but if you look at this video you can see inside this book. Read more about Australian cockatoos here. 

The themes of friendship, resilience and identity plus the connection with nature are ones that will easily transfer to either home or classroom setting and offer children much to consider.  Kids' Book Review

The book serves as both a calming read before naptime for young children, and an educational one for older children. Gracefully exploring themes such as iconic Australian birds, kindness, friendship, and letting go of things that no longer serve us, The black cockatoo with one feather blue is a timely message that we are greater than ourselves, and capable of truly incredible things. Reading Time

Companion books:

Australia from Dawn to Dusk by Brentos

Beginning at 5am in Byron Bay, New South Wales, this book takes the reader on a journey around Australia. You will discover landmarks, animals, birds and plants. Here are a couple of text quotes:

"7.45am, Sydney NSW, Gadigal Country. A swamp wallaby hops through coastal scrub for a tasty berry breakfast while rainbow lorikeets tear through flowering gum canopies above."

"1.45pm, Whitsundays, Qld Ngaro Country. Green turtles cruise ancient ocean currents as the waters of the Great Barrier Reef explode with colour, life and energy."

"8pm, Rottnest Island, WA Whadjuk Noongar Country. It's dusk on Rottnest Island and curious quokkas are waking up, ready for the night as the last rays of sunshine kiss goodbye to another perfect day in Australia."

The soft colour palette, bold illustration outlines, and eye placement giving each animal a distinct personality are all the things that combine to make a visually very appealing book. I love the way the first page is purple as the sun rises and the last page is a darker shade of purple as the sun sets. The end papers are subtle and clever. The landscapes are done so well making them easy to recognise. I have mentioned previously that I am a huge fan of lighthouses and so you will find one in this book at Byron Bay. The tiny surfer koala on each page also adds a layer of extra delight. 

Australia from Dawn to Dusk was shortlisted for the CBCA (Children's Book Council of Australia) New Illustrator award. I was a judge for this 2021-23 round, and we certainly were sent some amazing work. This book Australia from Dawn to Dusk should be in every Australian school library and it would be a terrific gift to send to your friends in other countries as a showcase of our landscapes, flora and fauna.

Who is Brentos? He is a Northern Beaches artist who grew up in the Sydney suburb of Terry Hills. His work can be seen all over this part of Sydney on murals and at bus stops. His work has also been used three times for the cover of a local magazine called Tawny Frogmouth. This is the cover of the September 2023 edition.

His actual name is Brent Turner. You can see more of his art here. 

Here are the notes Brentos submitted to the CBCA:

As a millennial I’ve grown up with technology and have a background in graphic design. So when Apple released the iPad, I naturally took a liking to this new creative innovation and quickly fell in love with the process of creating digital art. The iPad and broad selection of drawing apps have come a very long way and it’s now possible to emulate any style of illustration or painting in any medium – from watercolour, acrylics, oil even to aerosol, the iPad allows digital illustrators the power to push their creativity beyond traditional limitations. For my particular style of illustration, I use simple linework and flat colours in pastel tones, and I can create my illustrations as digital ‘vector’ artwork – This means the artwork can be sized up indefinitely without losing any image quality, so if we wanted to wrap something as big as Sydney Opera House, it would be possible.

My illustrations always start out as a quick composition sketch to decide where elements should be placed, where the source of light is and how the elements will interact with each other. This usually involves sketching up the initial composition in a lighter blue colour on the iPad surface in one layer, and then once happy with a sketch, I’ll begin drawing each individual element in the illustration to form the final composition. If an illustration requires a lot of detail, such as an underwater reef scene or a tropical rainforest scene, this process can take some time, but the end result is really special.

The illustrations for Australia From Dawn to Dusk were digitally hand-drawn onto an iPad surface using an app called ‘Adobe Fresco’. This medium allows me to get a very accurate illustration as close to a pen and paper sketch as possible, but it allows for incredible flexibility, allowing me to resize elements, easily erase sections I’m not happy with, re-arrange elements to create beautiful compositions and choose a brush, pen or pencil stroke that best pairs with my illustrations without having to need physical tools on hand. On top of the initial sketch, working with the iPad allows me to easily work with my colour palette and colour my illustrations with efficiency and speed, making it the perfect medium for the illustrations in Australia From Dawn to Dusk. CBCA Awards judges database.

Brentos will publish a new book in November called Australian Animals: from Beach to Bush. It will be an exploration of habitats around Australian along with the conservation status of each animal. 

Companion books to read with Australia from Dawn to Dusk:

Dirt by Sea

Mallee Sky

Australia: Colour of Country

Are we there yet?