The Smallest Bilby

and the Easter Tale

by Nette Hilton, illustrated by Bruce Whatley

Working Title Press. Australian, Picture, Children. Hard Cover RRP $24.95

Reading The Smallest Bilby and the Easter Tale reminded me of the magical Christmas stories I read as a young child. Only this time it was about Easter.

Billy and his little band of bilbies are on their way to deliver Easter Eggs to all the wildlife in their habitats. They must be silent, quick, not get caught; and hide the eggs where the animals will find them. Then an accident happens and one of the bilbies is stuck. What will they do? How will they get all the eggs delivered before Easter morning?

A wonderful tale which brings a bit of Australian tradition to a world-wide holiday. Bruce Whatley’s beautiful and colourful illustrations are so cute, I just want to reach out and cuddle one of the bilby’s.

Just in time for Easter – here is a book that should be read on the night before Easter…

The Reading Stack reviewed Nette Hilton's Pyro Watson and the Hidden Treasure in February 2010 and Bruce Whatley's Zoobots and Martha Doesn't Share in June and October 2010 respectively.

http://www.nettehilton.com.au/

Australian Children’s Classics Series

Mulga Bill’s Bicycle

by AB Paterson. Illustrated by Kilmeny and Deborah Niland

Harper Collins. Australian, Picture, Poetry, History. Paperback RRP $14.99

Now I will confess to never before reading Banjo Paterson’s Mulga Bill’s Bicycle and to finding the poem funny and entertaining. Kilmeny and Deborah Niland’s illustrations made it all the more hilarious. They have captured the antics of Mulga Bill perfectly and the expressions on the faces of the animals and Mulga Bill’swill keep the children turning the pages and giggling throughout.

A wonderful poem that has been turned into a book that children will want to read again and again.

http://www.kilmenyniland.com/
http://www.deborah-niland.com.au/

Click Go The Shears

Illustrated by Robert Ingpen

Harper Collins. Australian, Picture, History. Paperback RRP $14.99

Click Go The Shears is an outback classic and a lot of adults today would know a verse or two, however some children may not know it at all. An important piece of rural Australian history is in this wonderful traditional song of the Australian shearer.

Robert Ingpen has created beautiful illustrations that bring to life the Australian outback in the early 1900’s and compliment the words that lie beneath the story.

A graphic way to introduce children back to the Australian historical culture of the not so distant past.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Ingpen

Advance Australia Fair

by Peter Dodds McCormick - Illustrated by various Australian artists

Harper Collins. Australian, Picture, History. Paperback RRP $14.99

Originally penned for £100, in 1984 Advance Australia Fair became Australia’s national anthem, 77 years later selected based on a nationwide opinion poll.

This beautiful book is a look at Australia through the words of Dodds McCormick and paintings by Australian artists of the past century from such as Tom Roberts, Margaret Preston, Albert Namatijra and Arthur Boyd.