Crunch! Kaboom! Mighty Mining Machines

By Conor Mills and Clodagh Starr

Illustrated by Alison Mutton

Reviewed by Mia Macrossan

What a wonderful book! Conor Mills, a mining consultant has teamed up with his sister Clodagh Starr to create an exciting, always interesting account of how iron ore is mined in Australia, what are the many processes, where does it end up, and what is it used for?

They chose to use rhyming text, always a brave decision, to create picturescapes and soundscapes that resonate with energy and power.

Outside the town, in the heat and the dust

where the sky is bright blue, and the earth is like rust

is an iron ore mine that’s bigger than big

with mighty machines that blast, drill and dig.

Giant sound words are spread across the pages – Crrr-unch! Ka-Boom! Ba-Ba! Ba-Ba-Ba! Chugga-Sploosh! Chugga- Spoosh! Boom Boom Boom, Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr and lots more. What fun to make all those sounds together! The reader, while making all these sounds learns about the  many types of vehicles used: drill rig, an MMU (mobile mixing unit), grader, excavator, a crusher, and the many different processes the iron ore undergoes before it is ready to be transported by train to the coast, where ships are waiting to take it all over the world.

This book is fascinating, entertaining and informative all at once. The rhythm never falters, filled with alliteration, onomapoeia and muscular sound words occasionally highlighted in a bold font. The colour throughout is mainly that rusty red you see in Australia’s centre, with some yellow and black from all the vehicles.

Conor wanted to write a book that helped parents share more about what they did for a living – particularly FIFO parents, and while it achieves this aim admirably, it is also a useful text for anyone interested in exploring Australia’s industries, transport, trade links, and more. And the rhyming text and sound words make it a super fun read.

A must for school libraries and anyone who enjoys finding out more about BIG NOISY machines.

Teaching Notes

Fremantle Press 2025