Bush bubs by Helen Milroy

Another in the series of fine books by Helen Milroy, a descendant of the Palyku people of the Pilbara region of Western Australia will be eagerly picked up by little hands. A comfortable size, bright vivid illustrations and images of babies all create instant appeal.

Helen shows the reader the range of Australian animals and their offspring, framed by the environment in which they thrive. The front cover presents the baby animal: koala, kangaroo and so on, predicting what will be found when the book is opened, creating a sense of anticipation. Inside each double page offers a baby animal, surrounded by stunning illustrations. As each page is turned, young children will hear the rhyming sequence and predict the rhyming word on the next page.

While the Bilby points his toes
Wombat waddles to and fro.

Each pair of rhyming lines gives information about the animal depicted, adding to the knowledge base of the very young. And kids will pick out their favourites; mine is the little sugar glider depicted opposite Helen’s photo and short biography on the near to last page.

Helen has written and illustrated an impressive range of books, all aimed at younger readers, encouraging them to know more about the environment in which they live, using stunning paintings as the backdrop. Children will love the vibrant endpapers, enticing the readers to seek out all the animals depicted.

Themes: Aboriginal stories, Aboriginal art, Australian animals, Humour, Verse.

Fran Knight