Charles Fuge would have to be one of our finest Australian book illustrators - his iconic style sets the heart totally thumping and never so much as this truly gorgeous new book.
We may have lost Charles to England, but his work is ours - all ours, I tells ya!
In his Astonishing Animal ABC, we meet some aliterated animals - arty aardvark and bouncing bear - lolloping around pages with the colour, movement and character only Fuge can do.
There is humour, charm, wit and fun aplenty (my favourites are the t-rex and her egg, and the mammoth for sale, squished under a market stall awning... priceless). The rhyming text is joyfully penned - with hilarious elements both children and adults will adore.
One of my new favourite books - who can ever get enough of an ABC book, especially when it's done with such vim by a masterful illustrator for kids? Totally covetable.
Title: Astonishing Animal ABC
Author/Illustrator: Charles Fuge
Publisher: Gullane Children's Books, $27.95 RRP
Publication Date: 1 May 2011
ISBN: 9781862338111
Format: Hard cover
For ages: 3 - 10
Type: Picture Book