The Land Belongs to Me

The Land Belongs to Me by Alys Jackson & illustrated by Shane McGrath (Big Sky Publishing) PB RRP $14.99

ISBN 978-1-922265-11-1

Review by Wendy Haynes

This story builds on repetition making it a fun read similar to There was an old lady who swallowed a fly. But the message is about nature and who it belongs to, and how we must share in it together.

The illustrator Shane McGrath has done a fantastic job capturing this message. The palate of colour used along with the daisies at the front and back of the book, complement the storyline.

Author Alys Jackson uses words that give the story a rhythm and rhyme which flow across the page making it an easy read. She uses beetles, cats, dogs, cows, the farmer, and more. This story reminds us how we all tend to feel we have an individual right to a land that belongs to us all.

The story is for children 4 -7-year-old and is sure to be a favourite on the bookshelf at home. It is also a way in to educate young minds about the importance of our environment and sharing in and caring for it.