Allen & Unwin ISBN:9781911631590 £11.99
I cannot believe it has taken thirty years for me to come across this magical book! The simple premise is that two children, a girl and a boy are playing imaginary games up a tree, in the snow or on the rug inside, each time imagining if they really were in the jungle, under the ocean or back in dinosaur times. This is conveyed for each of the seven habitats by seven lines of image-creating poetic text ending with an ellipsis: the precursor to a magical double-page spread depicting each place in delicate and intricate watercolour detail. Around each spread are listed 20-30 animal names all identifiable thanks to a clever key for each at the end of the book. I came across many names I did not recognise, especially amongst the dinosaurs and was inspired to investigate further. Children from KS1 to KS2 will feel the same. They could also investigate and then create their own pages for other habitats: desert, deciduous woodland, rock pools. The list is endless and can be linked with English, Science and Geography. Equally they could explore that ellipsis technique and think of their own sentence endings. This highly honoured Australian author has produced a timeless classic to introduce children to the wonders of the natural world and to inspire their natural imaginations. Have a copy in every classroom, particularly this attractive edition.
Sue Barrett
