Let's count kisses illustrated by Karen Hull
Lothian, Hachette Press, 2012. ISBN 978 0 7344 1270.
Recommended. This is a beautiful book, which highlights the many
wonderful species
of Australian butterfly. Supported by a website, the story
counts kisses for many
Australian animals, such as koala, wallaby, galah, kookaburra,
echidna,
wombat, platypus, dingo, crocodile and barn
owl, and gently prepares the listener for a cosy bedtime.
As the story moves along, there are flaps to lift, butterflies to
count, and animals so richly drawn that you could reach into the
page
and give them a big cuddle. The cadence of the
story is light, lulling the listener into a calm and sleepy state,
winding down for bed. Karen Hull's illustrations (done in pencil)
are
amazing and vibrant,
and they caring along the rhyme of the story beautifully, adding
richness to the text that would be sorely lacking
were they not there. The butterflies are a highlight, with an amount
of
detail rarely seen in picture books of
this ilk. The illustrator based the butterfly illustrations on the
photography of Geoff Walker, and the result is
very lifelike.
Prime for not just bed time, but for increasing the all important
early
numeracy and one to one correspondence skills, this book is
recommended
for both home and early years
libraries.
Freya Lucas