There’s a Magpie in my Soup!

There’s a Magpie in my Soup! written by Sean Farrar and illustrated by Pat Kan (Big Sky Publishing) Kindle Price $4.73 

ISBN 9781925275681

Reviewed by Gill Griffin

A magpie in your soup!  A cockatoo in the loo! A big black snake in your cake!  This is just the beginning of a rhyming journey with familiar Aussie animals popping up in the most unexpected places.

There is a possum in a pie, and a tadpole in a cup of tea.  The idea of the cockatoo emerging from the loo with knife and fork and asking for food is sure to catch the imagination of younger readers. For each animal there is a warm and witty rhyming description which includes the author’s reaction at the sight of these unexpected creatures in familiar places. 

This is the first book by Sean Farrar, and Pat Kan’s illustrations complement the rhyming pages beautifully.  Her drawings are full of expression and very funny.  The use of the black ink make the drawings look spiky and alive with each animal having their own personality.  The wash of soft colour is very effective, enjoyable to look at and brings light and definition to the characters.

This is a simple picture book designed for reading out loud with large pictures which match the verse perfectly.  It is an easy read-out-loud book and small children will soon learn the names of Australian animals and the strange places they decide to visit which are  totally different from their natural habitat. 

There’s a Magpie in my Soup book celebrates Australian animals in an endearing, light hearted and entertaining manner. 

Sean Farrar already has another book in the pipeline which gives an unusual twist to our unique Aussie creatures. There’s a Koala in my Kitchen which is due to be released 2017.