Gus Gordon is one of Australia’s most respected author/illustrators of picture books, with over 80 titles sold into multiple territories. Not only are his books loved by children, they are the ones that pop into grown-up readers’ lists of favourites, too. Herman & Rosie (2012) for example, continues to appear on ‘book gifts for adults’ lists (see here for example  These picture books make the perfect gifts – for adults (and their inner children) | Picture books | The Guardian), thanks to its gentle layering of compelling, child-friendly storytelling with poignant moments that resonate across ages. Gordon’s new graphic novel, Into the Bewilderness, will surely join the same lists.

Meet Luis the bear and Pablo the mole, best friends, if something of an odd couple, who have always lived in the woods. When not picking gooseberries or chatting to forest chums, they’ll be found by the fire as Pablo reads and Luis strums his guitar. It’s an idyllic lifestyle, but Luis is beginning to wonder if there might be more to discover.

‘Like, are we living our best lives here? Could we be a happier Luis and Pablo..elsewhere?’

Cue the serendipitous arrival of a letter – Luis has won two tickets to the Big City production of The Weary Mermaid. Who will he take? What will he see? Will big city life answer his big life questions?

The friends (eventually) head off on a whimsical literal and figurative journey of discovery, with ever-curious Luis and ever-cautious Pablo exchanging banter about everything from eating squirrels to the immeasurable size of the universe.

Luis: “But what about culture? The arts? Is there not a place in our world to express ourselves through beautiful things? Don’t we have stories to tell?”

Pablo: “Nope. Listen, we’re ruthless, barbaric heathens, existing day to day, just to hunt, kill, and consume each other, with a side serving of fries and apple pie.”

Luis: “I see. Mmm, that explains why I’m always so hungry.”

As they navigate the Big City they balance the myths and legends shared by forest friends (the city is not, in fact, full of zombie chickens) with exciting discoveries, like the fact that food is available everywhere – no hunting required! It transpires that they’re not even sure what a mermaid is, let alone a weary one. In this, and many other ways, Gordon playfully messes with the ‘fish out of water’ trope by showing that the woods and the city are different from each other, but not entirely binary. Each is populated by outsiders, like a quirky cryptid in the wild, and an itinerant donkey in town, who drop by as a mentor figures offering catalytic, and hilarious, words of wisdom. The nuances of a long term friendship are beautifully evoked; the pair are lost without each other, yet annoy the fur off each other in equal measures.

Gordon’s illustrations are rich with texture and charm. Deceptively simple, like the best of art for young readers, they’re bold and funny, but a closer examination reveals detailed backgrounds full of sight gags, and clever use of colour and light to carry the travellers through day and night, bustle and solitude. The book design also offers many talking points beyond the narrative, including a map at the front and a ‘how to draw’ the characters panel at the back. Pitched at readers 8-12, it’s broken into short chapters making it ideal for shared reading in bite sized chunks, or to appeal to readers who don’t enjoy text-heavy books. The wonderful ‘punctuation’ of a well-constructed graphic novel is also worth appreciating, as full page spreads offer spaces to pause between fast paced sets of panels.

Into the Bewilderness is a celebration of friendship, curiosity, and stepping out of your comfort zone. It showcases the importance of the arts as a means of self expression, and the ways in which we carry stories (truth and legend) across generations. And all this sandwiched between big belly laughs. A must-read for all ages.

Figment (Hardie Grant) 2025

Q & A with Gus Gordon

Gus Gordon