My name is Jack and I live in Broome, a small town in the Kimberley in the far north of Western Australia.
I have a good mate called Raf and we’ve lived in Broom since we were babies.
Raff and I have been mates for a long time.
Mates Jack and Raf spend much of their time together. They have adventures by themselves and with various family members, trying everything that is on offer, from fishing to hunting, from quad-bike riding to listening to buskers at the market. They swim, search for crabs, collect tadpoles and frogs. <a href=”http://www.fishpond.com.au/product_info.php?ref=271&id=9781921248450&affiliate_banner_id=1″ target=”_blank”>Two Mates</a> is presented as a fiction picture book but is the illustrated true story of these two boys. Each spread has a main image occupying half the spread, and another vignette accompanying the text. There are photos of the real boys and their families at the end of the story.
Jack narrates this story about his friendship with Raf. As he describes their friendship and the things they do, he is also describing life in and around Broome. It’s a rich and full life in an amazing environment that many readers will be unfamiliar with. These boys explore their worlds with an enthusiasm that infectious. Their backgrounds are different, but each embraces the world of the other. <a href=”http://www.fishpond.com.au/product_info.php?ref=271&id=9781921248450&affiliate_banner_id=1″ target=”_blank”>Two Mates</a> is written by Jack’s mother and illustrated by his grandmother. This is a wonderful celebration of life, and reminds us all that life is good. Recommended for junior- to middle-primary readers.
<a href=”http://www.fishpond.com.au/product_info.php?ref=271&id=9781921248450&affiliate_banner_id=1″ target=”_blank”>Two Mates</a>, Melanie Prewett ill Maggie Prewett Magabala Books 2012 ISBN: 9781921248450
review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author