Sunday 16th February

14:14 Picture Book revision. Day three. This is a wonderful learning activity for me as I read how others are doing their analysis of the books they are presenting. I am doing very basic reviews of the books and selected them randomly. I know that by reading as many books and reviews as I can I will increase my knowledge of the structure of good picture books. I already have a good instinct which I trust. I know when I am reading something good and when I read something that should have had more work before a cover and I want my own stories to zing when they are finally in the hands of developing readers.

Title Day Three: An Aussie Year

 

Author: Tania McCartney

Illustrator: Tina Snerling

Publisher: EK Books an imprint to Exisle Publishing Pty ltd

Year of publications: 2013

http://anaussieyear.com.au/

Readership. Children aged 6–10

Main characters: Ned, Lily, Zoe, Kirra and Matilda — Australian children 

Overview

This story is about twelve months in the life of Australian kids. Each page is filled with delightful illustrations representing the multicultural aspects of our population and cultural heritage and the things that many typically Australian kids encounter throughout the year.

I purchased a copy and sent it to my niece overseas so she and her Aussie Daddy can read about things that he is familiar with. 

 The pages are filled with bright and fun illustrations of the characters and with plenty to see to keep a child looking for new things to talk about. The text meanders around the pages adding to the interest.

  I found myself smiling as I read this book, partly from sentimentality and partly because the book is a lovely way to have a little taste of Australia. Linguists tell us that Australia has unusually not developed a vast variety of localised language accents and nuances in spite of the polyglot of language origins of the diverse people who make up the Australian population. We do have a few state to state differences as shown by the list of words for bathing suits. Queenslanders have a tendency to say 'ay' on the end of sentences and South Australian's pronounce words such as castle and grant in a more refined English accent. This book introduces some of those ideas and would be a terrific gift for relatives in other countries to know what their Aussie cousins are doing.

Would I recommend this book?

If this was a gift return it or give it to the dog for a chew toy

Library copy borrow once

Library copy borrow again

Have my own copy and bought it for others.

Can’t stop talking about it, love it, lifelong favourite, bought it for others.

my 52 week challenge upload for today.  

a magnolia and some stylised birds.

I was not happy with the magnolia leaves but these will improve with practice. The birds were in a dream I had and it took me several tries to get the wings the way I wanted. 

It is also ReviMo petite and I am working on revisions. Thanks to Meg Miller who keeps us focused.

I am intending to have a draft finished for my 12x12 February ms and ready to upload the first 250 to the forum. I also have my three ideas for Mini WOW and feel very confident that I will have plenty to submit for Sub 6. 

I had visitors today who admired my pirate scar and I am quite glad I didnt have the stitches out yet. I was worried that my face would not be its usual mobile self and I am incredibly grateful that it has not lost any of the flexibility I so enjoy.