Kids Book Review is delighted to welcome new author Julia Cooke in celebration of the launch of her beautiful book My Little World. You can follow Julia's blog tour right here!
I had the most wonderful day last Saturday. My Little World was launched at the Australian National Botanic Gardens, a perfect location because the gardens are nestled at the foot of Black Mountain where the book is set.
I had the most wonderful day last Saturday. My Little World was launched at the Australian National Botanic Gardens, a perfect location because the gardens are nestled at the foot of Black Mountain where the book is set.
My Little World is the story of a child discovering a whole new world of tiny plants and animals when they can't see the birds and mammals that the grown-ups see. There are amazing things to see if you look carefully and different perspectives result in a richer experience for everyone! The vibrant illustrations by Marjorie Crosby-Fairall feature real species that could be found on Black Mountain in the bush capital.
Ian Fraser, naturalist, author and broadcaster, launched the book with a clever play on words about how small the world is (unbeknown to me, he knew my parents 30 years ago, but had since lost touch!) and spoke factually and humorously about invertebrates, explaining that their numbers and diversity are far greater than those of birds and mammals that more frequently feature in picture books.
Ian Fraser, naturalist, author and broadcaster, launched the book with a clever play on words about how small the world is (unbeknown to me, he knew my parents 30 years ago, but had since lost touch!) and spoke factually and humorously about invertebrates, explaining that their numbers and diversity are far greater than those of birds and mammals that more frequently feature in picture books.
He said "This is a perfect and gorgeous book for children, but don’t make the mistake of letting them have all the fun with it. We can and should all learn from and revel in it, so do yourself a favour and spend plenty of time on it. Go through it and read Julia’s poetry out loud, then do it again and pore over the exquisite detail of Marjorie’s pictures – then do it all again to see what you’ve missed."
His comments meant a lot to me as did the presence of several of the researchers I had consulted about scientific details for the book, who had travelled some distance to be at the launch. Teachers, artists, scientists, family and friends chatted and bought books from the adjacent Botanical Bookshop.
His comments meant a lot to me as did the presence of several of the researchers I had consulted about scientific details for the book, who had travelled some distance to be at the launch. Teachers, artists, scientists, family and friends chatted and bought books from the adjacent Botanical Bookshop.
It was such a happy celebration. My Little World is my first book and to find myself signing books for a queue of people was an amazing feeling! I really appreciated the opportunity to celebrate the release of the book and thank the many people who had helped me during it's production. I'm so proud of My Little World and thank Omnibus Books for publishing my little story and investing so much hard work in it and Marjorie for the most beautiful, careful illustrations.
Congratulations, Julia! See KBR's review of My Little World right here. My Little World is published by Omnibus Books, $26.99.
Congratulations, Julia! See KBR's review of My Little World right here. My Little World is published by Omnibus Books, $26.99.
Buy this gorgeous book online at The Nile now!
