Five Little Platypuses ill. by Karen Erasmus

Hachette Australia, 2014. ISBN 9780734414908.
Pre-school children and parents will enjoy this Australianised version of the old and familiar story of the Five Little Ducks who go out to play but fail to return.
In this case the five little platypuses go out over a puddle, creek, lake, river and billabong, but when their mummy platypus calls, Come back here!' less and less appear until Mummy is left sad and alone.
It is only when she calls 'Please come home!' that the baby platypuses come home one by one to give her a cuddle.
The muted colours of the illustrations are reflective of the Australian environment. The rocky river bed seen through clear water and the cute, chubby little platypuses are sure to elicit a smile from the reader.
The use of coloured writing to highlight the number of platypuses and Mum's spoken language offer cues for early readers to focus on in a choral or supported reading setting. The varying water types also give the opportunity to discuss the differences say between a river and creek or a lake and billabong.
Sue Keane