From the Our World, Our Home series of educational books for younger readers. comes In Australia: A Down Under Baby Animal Counting Book. It focuses on mammals and marsupials, viviparous, oviparous known as monotremes, their breeding habits and protection of their young. Creative activities for beautiful hand-made crafts are offered as a closing bonus, by talented artist, Jill Dubin, whose cut-paper illustrations adorn the book. She also shares the process of how she creates her collages.
Australian surroundings background this journey through the natural world. Wild flowers, reeds and waters enhance the images of the birds and animals that live in them.
Rhyme, repetition, rhythm and counting is created using alliteration and assonance. This is an opportunity while counting, for the names of the baby animals to be added to children’s vocabulary while they learn how mothers teach them to survive.
There are crocodiles, wallabies, koala, platypus, lorikeets, wombats, sugar gliders, brolga, bilbies, and a father emu caring for his brood of chicks.
Australian animals are unique. 80 percent of our flora and fauna are endemic and we have 917 species of reptiles!
What does each species eat? Do they sip, slurp or chew? Dig or swim? How and where do they live; in swamps, trees, tall grasses or elsewhere? With which sounds do they communicate?
A map of Australia end indicates the areas of each animal’s habitat; whether desert, grassland or forest. A Fact or Fiction section clarifies any doubts as to how baby animals are cared for, either by both or a single parent.
A whole page is dedicated to The ‘Hidden’ Animals such as the frill-neck lizard, the tiger quoll, barking gecko, and Woma pythons amongst others.
Tips From the Author, offers advice on how to fully utilise the book’s information, expanding it with activities and knowledge challenges. into an interactive experience.
Title: In Australia: A Down Under Baby Animal
Counting Book
Author: Marianne Berkes
Illustrator: Jill Dubin
Publisher: NewSouth Books, $
16.99
Publication Date: 1 September 2021
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781728247588
For ages: 4+
Type: Non Fiction
