(Sorry, I'm always and ever Lane-Smith-greedy.)
There is a tribe of kids. Goat kids, of course. But within them is another kid. A human kid. Who stumbles across a penguin.
Actually, a colony of penguins. As our human kid plays with said penguins, he falls through the ice and meets a smack of jellyfish. And a pod of whales.
Let's not even mention the unkindness of ravens.
I love this hugely creative take on collective nouns, in this beautifully-produced book, with typically-rich, textured and lusciously designed imagery that will elicit many a sigh.
Concise in text (and effectively so), these stunning illustrations gather up a nomadic storyline about a boy who encounters nature at its collective-noun best, and rustles up truly beautiful experiences that traverse forests, mountains, the ocean, and even our very dreams.
Highlighting nature in a way that will truly resonate with kids, I love that its final pages bring the young lad 'home' at the end of the book. And yet I strongly felt that every part of his journey resonated with 'home'--in that every sunset, every starshine and every elephant stomping is fully part of the richness of being oneself--of being alive.
With so many kids experiencing increasingly virtual lives, this is an important book to foster a sense of adventure and journey, let alone the need to connect with animals, nature and the greatness of living life on earth.
Title: There is a Tribe of Kids
Author/Illustrator: Lane Smith
Publisher: Pan Macmillan, $24.99
Publication Date: 26 April 2016
Format: Hard cover with dust jacket
ISBN: 9781509812882
For ages: 3 - 8
Type: Picture Book
