Aussie legends alphabet by Beck Feiner

ABC Books, 2017. ISBN 97807333338946
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Themes: Alphabet, Legends, Australian legends. Alphabet books are always fascinating, speculating on the reason some words and images were included to homour that letter. This one will engage readers, pondering just who they would give the nod to as a legend of Australia, and being delighted at those who have made the cut in this board book from ABC Books.
From Cathy Freeman to Julia Gillard, Victor Chang to Eddie Mabo, Jorn Utzon to Steve Irwin, each inclusion is as surprising as it is informative. I was impressed that there is only one footballer, yeah! and Adam Goodes was included partly because of his ability on the football field but more importantly for what he has done for his people. Medical pioneers, Fred Hollows and Victor Chang make a wonderful inclusion as do social vanguards, Kath and Kim, Ita Buttrose and Dame Edna Everage. And a nod to history includes Ned Kelly, Henry Lawson and Nancy Wake, while the arts are represented by Dame Joan Sutherland, INXS, Yothu Yindi and Queenie MacKenzie amongst others. Each is included for a multiplicity of reasons, which younger readers and older ones as well, will delight in reasoning out. At the end of the book are a few pages containing more information about each inclusion.
Each person represents excellence in their fields, achieving something all of us can admire. Each page has one letter with an often amusing representation of that person wrapped around the letter, while the page next to the illustrations contains a brief amount of information.
This is a fascinating alphabet book, sure to delight, amuse and inform.
Fran Knight