andrew plant – Aussie Reviews

Glitch by Michelle Worthington ill Andrew Plant

Glitch was a trembly, twittery, twitchy kind of bug,
who built amazing creations from the treasures he found on the rubbish heap where he lived.
June was much more calm, which made her a brilliant billycart driver and his most trusted friend.

Glitch and his friend June enter the Billycart race every year. The race is held at the tip where they live and their billycarts made from bits they find there. Glitch is great at building billycarts but not so great at being the navigator when June drives in the race. Each year something goes wrong and they – the team with the best billycart – miss out. This year, when they have a crash in the lead up to the race, June hatches a plan. It depends on trembly, twittery, twitchy Glitch doing something he’s never done before. Illustrations include colourful and friendly-looking bugs of all hues. The tip becomes a treasure trove and a racetrack.

‘Glitch’ celebrates the friendship between two bugs. Together they make a great team – or they would, if Glitch could get over his twitchiness and focus on race day. This year, with the best billycart ever, things are looking good until a prematch accident turns everything upside down. Glitch has to overcome his twitches – and they’re bigger than ever – if the pair are to complete a race. Themes include friendship and bravery. Recommended for pre- and early-schoolers.

Glitch, Michelle Worthington ill Andrew Plant
Ford Street, 2017
ISBN: 9781925272710

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s author and bookseller
www.clairesaxby.com

Spark by Adam Wallace and Andrew Plant

I began as a tiny spark

all alone in the dry grass.

‘Let’s play,’ said the wind.

‘Okay,’ I replied.

The wind whistled and gently picked me up.

I began as a tiny spark

all alone in the dry grass.

‘Let’s play,’ said the wind.

‘Okay,’ I replied.

The wind whistled and gently picked me up.

Spark is the story of a wild fire, told from the perspective of elemental fire. It begins as a spark, and in answer to a question from the wind, the two begin to play. The ‘play’ escalates as the fire and wind race across the land until the fire acknowledges the destruction and wants to end the game. The wind continues until together, they turn on their path and witness the cost of the play. Illustrations are painted and progress from summer sunny through bright flame to black and greys to finish with the tiniest glimmer of colour. Text is hand-drawn by illustrator Andrew Plant. Image frames grow with the intensity of the fire and retreat as it does. Image frames set in smoky pages.

Spark is the story of the consequences of a single careless incident. There’s a sense of menace from the front cover on, hands-over-the-eyes please-don’t-let-this-happen inevitability. What starts small quickly builds out of control, with no time to see the damage. Bit like bullying really. Suggested reading age is pre-school but it will have applications well beyond preschool, particularly in the classroom. Illustrations provide the opportunity to search out beetles, ants and larger animals as fire chases all before it. Recommended for early primary and for inclusion in discussions about both fire and bullying.

Spark, Adam Wallace and Andrew Plant
Ford Street Publishing 2016
ISBN: 9781925272413

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s author and bookseller

www.clairesaxby.com

The Poppy by Andrew Plant

Across northern France,

poppies bloom in the fields

where once, many years ago …

millions of men fought and died.

NOTE: THIS BOOK HAS A RELEASE DATE OF 1 MARCH 2014

Across northern France,

poppies bloom in the fields

where once, many years ago …

millions of men fought and died.

In northern France, poppies bloom where once was war. Petals take to the air and track the story of war in northern France, travelling from today back through time to focus on a particular battle. Villers-Bretonneux, a small village, was the site of a pivotal battle between German forces and Australian soldiers. Many, many died, but the battle was successful in halting the progression of the Germans. Many of the dead are still unidentified, but none are forgotten. Memorials to named and unnamed soldiers remind just how hard-fought and hard-won was the freedom now enjoyed. In the years following WWI, Victorian children helped to raise money to rebuild the Villers-Bretonneux school. This link, forged in war, is reinforced by Australian animal carvings in the school hall, and promises to not forget. Illustrations show both the darkness and the light, with dark cover and images set in black pages. The painterly images sit like photos on the page, connecting the past with the present. A poppy petal floats through each opening. A final page provides more information about the battle and its aftermath.

For many years, most Australians had some direct link to WWI in Europe, whether it was a parent, a relative, a neighbour. But as time passes, these links become more distant and there is a risk that the connection with and relevance of that time fades. 2014 marks the centenary of the beginning of WWI. For Australia, WWI was the first opportunity to demonstrate internationally their new nationhood. Thousands of Australians died in many different theatres of war. The Villers-Bretonneux was one of these, and for many years, many of the fallen were unidentified, if not forgotten. The Villers-Bretonneux village and school continue to honour the Australians who died there, just as the poppies symbolise their spilt blood. Plant brings this historical non-fiction story to a new generation of young readers, allowing the war to sit just off-page, but not diminishing or underplaying any of the importance of the battle. He shows new readers how the past influences the present and can inform the future. In multicultural Australia, this story will be unfamiliar to some, but ‘The Poppy’ will help to remedy this. Recommended for early and middle primary readers.

The Poppy

The Poppy, Andrew Plant Ford Street Publishing, 2014 ISBN: hb 9781925000313, pb 9781925000320

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author and bookseller

www.clairesaxby.com

The Little Dinosaur by Catriona Hoy illustrated by Andrew Plant

Millions of years ago, in a time before Australia existed, there was a land called Gondwana. It was very cold there, even in summer. In winter it was dark all day and all night.

Millions of years ago, in a time before Australia existed, there was a land called Gondwana. It was very cold there, even in summer. In winter it was dark all day and all night.

The Little Dinosaur begins many millions of years ago, when dinosaurs roamed the land we now call Australia. The reader is introduced to a specific dinosaur, now known as a Leoellynasaura amicagraphica, who lived – and died – so long ago. Skip forward to now, when a bone, buried for so long, is discovered by a palaeontologist. Slowly, carefully she works with the rock that holds the bone. Working with a team of experts, the palaeontologist recreates this little dinosaur, so she can be introduced to the world. The cover shows the little dinosaur sitting atop a rock, queen of her world. End papers spill with information about prehistoric Australia and about dinosaurs. Illustrations are a mix of full colour spreads and vignettes, in warm and cool colours that evoke the seasons. They are full of prehistoric details, down to the particular species of Thylacine portrayed.

The Little Dinosaur is firstly a picture book for sharing with dinosaur-lovers. The author is a senior science teacher and the illustrator well-known for his depictions of dinosaurs. Together they provide a reading experience that combines the imagined world of an individual and factual information about the environment in which she and others lived. It links the living dinosaur and her world with today and the way we learn about the past. It also introduces those who work to understand more about these fascinating animals. For the classroom, The Little Dinosaur provides the basis for introducing many science concepts to young students. Gondwana with its very different climate, landscape and animals. Food chains, palaeontology, and much more. There are multiple links to curriculum. Recommended for lower- to mid-primary readers and dinosaur fans of any age.

The Little Dinosaur, Catriona Hoy ill Andrew Plant
Working Title Press 2012
ISBN: 9781921504396

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com

Warambi, by Aleesah Darlison & Andrew Plant

Deep in a forest, hidden in a warm, dark cave, a tiny bat was born.

Warambi, tiny bent-wing bat, is born into a colony of bats and spends her early days there, safe and protected. Her mother and others help her learn the skills she will need to survive. But when their colony is threatened, panic and confusion lead to Warambi losing track of her mother, of everyone. Her place of shelter is warm and dry, but there are dangers everywhere for the young bat. But she at least is lucky. She finds her way back to the wild, and the chance of establishing a new family. Illustrations are realistic and painterly and evoke the darkness and danger of the night

Fiction meets non-fiction in ‘Warambi’ and the reader follows the journey of a tiny bat from birth to maturity. Young readers will empathise with the plight of the little bat and learn about a lesser-known, and infrequently seen Australian native animal. The text is gentle without glossing over the dangers of survival, and Andrew Plant’s illustrations are deliciously detailed from the tiny ears to the gossamer-thin wings of the little bent-wing bat. Story-lovers will enjoy the story and the hopeful outcome, and little naturalists will also enjoy the facts that decorate the endpapers. Recommended for early primary readers.

Warambi, Aleesah Darlison Andrew Plant
Working Title Press 2011
ISBN: 9781921504280

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com

This book can be purchased in good bookstores or online from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.

Puggle, by Catriona Hoy & Andrew Plant

In a tall house on a hill…there’s a box. Inside the box there’s a towel. And curled up in the towel is Puggle. Puggle is a baby echidna.

Once Puggle lived safe and warm in is mother’s pouch, but one day there was a loud bang and mother stopped swaying. Puggle was picked up and brought to the tall house, where he is cared for with other sick and injured animals. As he grows, other animals in the house recover and return to the wild. Then, finally, the day comes when it is time for Puggle to go back to the forest.

Puggle is the touching story of an orphaned baby echidna (a puggle), based on a true account. It is also the story of the role of wildlife carers in healing and rehabilitating native animals. With bright acrylic illustrations and fact filled endpapers, and enough factual information for classroom use and enough story to entertain, this hard cover picture book is a perfect blend of heart-warming story and educational offering.

Puggle, by Catriona Hoy & Andrew Plant
Working Title Press, 2010

This title can be purchased online from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.

It’s True! Everest Kills by Kim Wilson. Pictures by Andrew Plant

Here are some ways Everest can kill you: Avalanche; mountain illness; falling; freezing.

Despite the dangers, the hunger to reach the summit of Mt Everest continues unabated. This non-fiction title charts the history of man’s quest to reach the highest point on earth. Wilson assembles a fascinating collection of facts and anecdotes for this new offering in the ‘It’s True!’ collection. Fact boxes and often humourous cartoons by Andrew Plant enhance the reading experience.

It’s True! Everest Kills tells how to breathe where there is no oxygen and how to dress for success. It includes many tips for the aspiring climber. This book is light-handed but never underrates the challenges faced by those who would conquer the mighty mountain. Upper-primary readers will enjoy this book

It’s True! Everest Kills by Kim Wilson
Allen & Unwin 2006
ISBN: 1741144140