On the way to Nana's by Frances and Lindsay Haji-Ali

Ill. by David Hardy. Magabala Books, 2017. ISBN 9781925360301
(Age: 2-6) Recommended. "I'm on the way to Nana's house. What will I see?"
On the way to Nana's by Frances and Lindsay Haji-Ali celebrates the beauty and majesty of the Far North of Western Australia. They share the special memories of their own road trips in this delightful rhyming picture book, with its question and response perfect for reading aloud to a young audience.
With a countdown from fifteen to one, they experience life on the road, stopping to fish, observing the rugged anthills, the grazing cattle and proud brumbies. The family watches the rugged landscape pass by, with huge boab trees, splashing waterfalls, and road trains and find new friends to play when they stop. The mud map at the beginning shows the 1000 kilometre trip from Broome in Western Australia through Fitzroy Crossing, Halls Creek, Kununurra and Katherine and finally to Darwin.
David Hardy's delightful digital illustrations capture the rich colours of the bush landscape, the sweeping vistas and show close-up encounters. Take time to count the bright coloured flowers, termite mounds, flying magpie geese and the cattle grazing. The repetitive refrain and descriptions make the long trip come to life. What a delightful celebration of Indigenous people's connection to the land and the importance of family relationships. On the way to Nana's is a great resource for Early Years Geography investigating "Places having distinctive features".
Rhyllis Bignell