From the snapshots of Aussie Mums in the endpapers, My Aussie Mumis a celebration of mothers in general, and Aussie Mums in particular. This Aussie Mum loves to be a part of everything. She plays sports, supports whales, battles peak hour traffic, does the washing and makes lunches, loves lollies and can pick a fake sickie from ten paces. The illustrations from Nicola Bright are bright and colourful and full of family humour. There is plenty of white space to keep the focus on Mum and her antics. This Aussie Mum is perfect in her imperfection and is well-loved by her children.
My Aussie Mum is full of Aussie vernacular like ‘My Aussie Mum’s a ripper, yep, she’s as tough as nails’. This is not a stuffy Mum at all. She’s down to earth and fallible, but always passionate. She has three children and each of them celebrate and endure her various enthusiasms. The illustrations are somewhat at odds with the text, adding humour to the simple affirmations. Young readers will soon pick the gap between the words and text and are sure to provide examples of their own. The second-last opening shows a wide range of Aussie Mums, different ages, sizes and cultures. All are smiling, all look loved. Easy to imagine this being a Mother’s Day favourite. Recommended for 4-6 year olds.
My Aussie Mum, Yvonne Morrison, ill Nicola Bright
Scholastic Australia 2009
ISBN: 9781741692297
review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author
www.clairesaxby.com
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