Reviewed by Kylie Buckley
South with the Seabirds is a narrative nonfiction picture book that
follows four remarkable female scientists on their 1959 research expedition to
Macquarie Island in the sub-Antarctic.
The story follows the women - Mary Gillham, Isobel Bennett, Hope Macpherson,
and Susan Ingham - as they explore the island and encounter a myriad of seabirds
and other sea life. The captivating watercolour artwork includes single and
double-page spreads, spot illustrations, and vignettes, with an extensive range
of animals labelled.
The story concludes with a timeline of Macquarie Island, a short biography for
each of the scientists, and a page with tips for young naturalists. The
endpapers depict a large labelled map of Macquarie Island, including Lake Macpherson,
Lake Bennett, Lake Gillham, and Lake Ingham named after each of the women.
South with the Seabirds is an informative book highly recommended
for primary school libraries and budding naturalists, conservationists, and
historians.
Jess McGeachin is a multi-award-winning author and illustrator based in
Melbourne, Australia. He writes and illustrates books for children, including
both fiction and nonfiction. One of his latest accolades includes the winner of
the 2023 Children’s Book Council of Australia Eve Pownall Award for his book Deep. He is also the creator of the promotional artwork for the 2025 Children’s
Book Week, with the theme ‘Book an
Adventure’.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Buzz Words Books would love to hear what you think.