Australia: First Numbers & Australia: First Colours

By Jess Racklyeft

Reviewed by Mia Macrossan

Jess is a versatile illustrator who has worked with many writers including Claire Saxby (Tree, Whisper on the Wind, Iceberg) to create outstanding picture books, as well as carving out a name for herself as a sole creator (There’s Only One Dad Like You), and more.

In the Australia: First series of board books she has created vibrant early learning books characterized by carefully research, a lilting rhyming text and her lively expressive art.

Australia: First Numbers is a counting book that starts Let’s count through this country…there is so much to see? leading the reader through a gallery of well known Australian animals and some not so familiar. Each animal is meticulously labelled eg the eight insects include the Golden Sun Moth, the Cairns Birdwing and the Red-Banded Jezebel. For the number ten she has done a magnificent page of sea life ‘slimy, sharp or round‘. At the end there is a page inviting the reader to count backwards but you can easily count forwards, and another one asking ‘how much higher can you count?‘

Australia: First Colours invites readers to ‘find a rainbow across this wild land’ of Australia and again features famous flora and fauna, this time focusing on their colours. Again each illustration is carefully labelled, unobtrusive but easily legible. There is a red Flame Robin, orange Biscuit Sea Star, yellow Yam Daisy, a Purple Rockcod and more. She has done her research and come up with a fantastic collection. Did you know there is such a creature as a Purple-necked Rock Wallaby? The colours are splendid, bold, vibrant, easily memorable and recognisable for young readers. 

These board books are in a slightly larger format than normal, sturdy, well designed for a long life. They are a perfect introduction to numbers and colours but also to the wealth of Australian wildlife, a first step in developing a love and understanding of our natural world.

Recommended

Affirm Press December 29  2024

Jess Racklyeft