There are many books about Easter published at about this time and here is one that is timely and timeless.
Are You the Easter Bunny? is about the Greater Bilby which was suggested as an Australian alternative to the Easter Bunny to raise awareness of the endangered marsupial. According to the Australian Wildlife Conservancy there are only 5,330 left but that is a big improvement on previous years. Their sanctuaries conserve the largest collective population of bilbies in the world, important because here the bilbies are actively protected from the threat of foxes and cats, a responsibility made even more poignant given the extinction of the Lesser Bilby last century.
A little bird asks a little rabbit like creature Are you the Easter Bunny to be told No, that isn’t me. But there’s more to show and more to know. The rest of the book then tells us about the bilby. It has poor eyesight and relies on whiskers, hearing and smell to find food, mainly seeds, grubs and insects. It sleeps in burrows underground. Using simple language Janeen explains how bilbies help the environment and are an integral and essential part of the Australian ecosystem. The carefully placed rhyming text flows along ending on a hopeful I hope I’m here to stay!
Lucinda’s illustrations celebrate the rich warm tones of the Australian landscape. The bilby is shown in delightful close up, from the scritcher-scratchers on the feet, the long slim bottom-wiggler at its end to the large pink and grey ears (which do look rabbitty).
A charming and informative picture book to read all year round, suitable for age 3+ but younger children will engage with and enjoy the rhyme and rhythm of the text and exploring each colourful page.
There are many books about Easter published at about this time and here is one that is timely and timeless.
