Esmeralda's Nest

 

Esmeralda’s Nest by Robert Moore, illustrated by Mandy Foot (MidnightSun Publishing) RRP HB $29.99 ISBN 9781925227666

Reviewed by Kylie Buckley

Esmeralda’s Nest is an adorable tale of a pig named Esmeralda. Esmeralda is a loveable Saddleback sow who seems unsettled as the ever-changing weather on the farm. Each day, Esmeralda finds an object, large or small, natural or man-made to take with her and then ‘waddle off down the hill.’ Her collection expands over the week and we don’t find out what she is doing until the end of the book. However, young readers may be able to predict what Esmeralda’s intentions are if they have a keen eye and pick up on the subplot and other clues offered by the gorgeous pictures.

The soft pencil and watercolour illustrations complement the story well and are presented using a combination of single page images, double page spreads and vignettes. One of my favourite elements of the book are the unique endpapers which share a range of ‘farm notes’ and matching monochrome sketches.

Esmeralda’s Nest is a picture book recommended for children aged 3+ years. It offers an engaging story as well as a myriad of teaching opportunities including interesting vocabulary, days of the week, and animal nesting habits. There is also a repetitive line in the story making it a fun opportunity for the young ones to join in.