While they are gone, the adventurous Lyla decides it is time to test her wings. The more reserved Reggie holds back, taking things slowly and letting Lyla take the lead. Will Reggie be brave enough to spread his wings and step off the branch?
This classic tale of spreading your wings has a lovely Australian tone thanks to the gorgeous tawny frogmouth family. These native Australian birds are illustrated using felt models handcrafted by the author/illustrator Judy Paulson, an early childhood teacher with a degree in fine arts.
I’ve always loved tawny frogmouths, although I never realised that they were native to Australia before reading the information page at the end of the book. I love the relationship between the tawny chicks, with Lyla encouraging her brother to follow her lead and Reggie gaining confidence from Lyla’s example.
This is a lovely picture book for toddlers and pre-schoolers, with the almost tactile appearance of the illustrations and the simple message about taking on new things one step at a time. There are teachers' notes available for this book.
Title: Baby Tawnies
Author/Illustrator: Judy Paulson
Publisher: Random House, $19.95 RRP
Publication Date: 1 May 2012
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781742755762
For ages: 3 - 7 years
Type: Picture book
