Elizabeth Lea – Aussie Reviews

I’m off to play in the band.

See if you can guess which instrument I’m going to play …

It starts with the letter Tt

I’m playing the triangle.

I play the triangle by hitting it

with a small metal rod.

Triangles belong to the percussion family.

Here’s a musical instrument primer, written and illustrated for young children. Each spread has a flap and a question. The same character, a young girl, is featured asking the question throughout, as if she’s trying all the instruments on for size. As well as the first letter, there’s a small image showing part of the instrument. When the flap is opened, the instrument is revealed in full and there is an explanation of how to play it. There’s also information about which family the instrument belongs to. When the reader reaches the final flap opening, the band is revealed: a collection of young children. There is a blank space for a photo of the reader, so they can be the leader of the band. Final pages feature projects and history based on some of the featured instruments. This is a sturdy paperback, built to withstand multiple readings. Youngest children will enjoy the open-the-flap, while budding musicians will enjoy learning more about music. Recommended for pre- and early-schoolers.

My Band

My Band, Elizabeth Lea ill Chantal Stewart National Library Australia Publishing 2013 ISBN: 9780642277701

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com

Available from good bookstores or online.

Young yabby

Old owl

Funny frog

Serious seal

Aussie Animal Opposites presents Australian animals while demonstrating some alliteration and as the title suggests, opposites. Each opening offers a pair of opposite set in backgrounds which suggest their normal environments. Characters are presented in anthropomorphic and cartoony style, and contain plenty of humour. Later openings show paintings of each animal featured and the final opening attributes the original artist and where the image first appears. Each of these later images also offers information, asks questions of the reader and suggests activities for young children.

Aussie Animal Opposites offers different things to different readings and perhaps readers. Very young children will respond to the alliteration and the opposites and will be able to begin to recognise the animals depicted. As they engage further (slightly older?), they can learn more about the animals themselves – both through the images and the information provided. Further rereading offers opportunities for shared learning and activities. This is a sturdy larger-than-some board book and it is the cartoony characters who feature on the cover. Perhaps the factual information will engage an older sibling while the younger is learning about big and small, old and young. Recommended for very young readers.

Aussie Animal Opposites, Elizabeth Lea ill Liz Faul National Library of Australia Publishing 2013 ISBN: 9780642277664

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com

Available from good bookstores or online.

Tag: Elizabeth Lea

My Band by Elizabeth Lea & Chantal Stewart

Aussie Animal Opposites by Elizabeth Lea ill Liz Faul