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Celebrating the Ordinary

by
November 2006, no. 286

Celebrating the Ordinary

by
November 2006, no. 286

The latest batch of Australian picture books contains many good, solid stories, competently told – but definitely nothing out of the ordinary. However, picture books do not necessarily have to deal with new subjects, use complex illustrative techniques or contain gimmicks to be something special. Some of the best picture books are those which simply celebrate the ordinary.

Some of the latest releases exploit the cult of celebrity. Mr Froggy Went a-Courtin’ (Brolly Books, $19.95 hb, 13 pp, 1877035718) has James Reyne’s name on the front cover, but this attribution is for his rendition of the text’s traditional song on the accompanying CD. Wendy Straw’s rollicking illustrations carry the song along, but, with its old-fashioned concepts and American references, the story itself is a strange choice.

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