PB RRP $18.00
ISBN 9780994109828
Reviewed by Dianne Bates
Cute and engaging: these are the two words that came to mind
as I turned pages from the front to back of this wordless picture book. The
story, Follow the Firefly, starts
with a question, ‘Excuse me, have you seen a flashing light?’ and moves onto a
scene of a campfire around which sits a variety of animals. On the right-hand
side page is what looks like an electric bulb with a golden end. This is the
firefly which moves through the book, from different parts of a forest wherein there
are different animals (such as gorillas), and on to a town with busy streets.
In the final picture, the firefly has discovered – and fallen in love with – an
amber traffic light.
But that’s not all, folks! There’s yet another book! Turn
the pages from back to front and you follow a rabbit in Run, Rabbit, Run! Doubtless a small child would have noticed what I
missed: in every one of the firefly story’s pages, there is a white rabbit. His
story can be ‘read’ as well. He leaves the town and returns – pursued by a dog
-- to the campfire by the end of his story.
I really liked this book! It’s so much fun and it’s sure to
be ‘read’ and ‘re-read’ countless times by children aged 2 to 6 years. The
artwork is unique and distinctive with Carvalho using full-page vibrant watercolour
washes and paintings. There is a real naivety to his animals and especially to
his people that put a smile on my face. The pictures of the town are chaotic,
compared to those of the various landscapes, which include forest, jungle and
wetlands.
Book Island is a New Zealand publishing house which
describes its company as ‘home to stunning picture books in translation.’ It is
wonderful to see books which are so different! Highly recommended.
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