Hatch

Hatch by Heidi Cooper Smith. CSIRO Publishing 2025. Hardcover Non-Fiction Picture Book, 32 pp, RRP $26.99. ISBN 9781486318278.

Reviewed by Debra Williams

What kind of animals lay eggs? Where do they lay them, and how do they look after them?

This book introduces young readers to some of Australia’s egg-laying mammals and monotremes. It takes the reader on a journey inland, to the treetops high above, then back down to the underground and a waterhole, finishing back at the sea once more. It includes reptiles, birds, and insects, along with their habitats.

Hatch (from the illustrator of the Amanda Commander chapter book series) has beautiful illustrations containing plenty of detail for kids to explore. It includes animals found in the Australian bush and sometimes city backyards to encourage children to observe them and their behaviour for themselves.

With a glossary in the back, it is aimed at a reading level of ages 5-9.

 

There are Teacher Notes aligned to the Australian Curriculum available to download from the CSIRO Publishing website: publish.csiro.au/book/8159#forteachers.