Paul Venzo and Prue Francis (text) and Cate James (illustrator), The Great Southern Reef, CSIRO Publishing, May 2022, 32 pp., RRP $24.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781486315314
The authors of The Great Southern Reef are Paul Venzo, who teaches literature and writing for children and is the Course Director of the Literary Studies, Children’s Literature and Gender and Sexuality Studies majors at Deakin University; and Prue Francis, who is a Senior Lecturer in Marine Science and Professional Practice in the School of Life and Environmental Sciences and the Course Director of the Bachelor of Marine Science at Deakin University. Both want to connect young readers with information about Australia’s ocean.
Their topic in this picture book is the Great Southern Reef. They created three characters. Professor Seaweed takes two children with her, the girl Frankie, and the boy Sam. They spend a day of beachcombing on the shores of the Great Southern Reef. The children are informed by Professor Seaweed of the many ‘treasures from the ocean’ including cuttlefish that belongs to a group of animals called molluscs, rockpools with sea anemone, a shark egg, piles of seaweed washed to the shores called wrack, Neptune’s necklace and the huge forest of kelp ‘that swirl about in the currents.’
Professor Seaweed describes the ‘best kept secrets’ of the Great Southern Reef including harlequin fish, spotted wobbegongs, weedy sea-dragons, golden decorator crabs, red rock lobsters, urchins and sponges. Professor Seaweed instructs the children on how to care for the Great Southern Reef.
In the evening, Professor Seaweed shows the children a map of Australia. The actual map of the Great Southern Reef is at the back of the book on the end paper. Professor Seaweed exclaims ‘The animals and seaweed that grow on the reef are part of our lives too!’ She tells the children that seaweed is used in many products like toothpaste and vitamins.
The non-fiction information about the Great Southern Reef is provided at the end of the story. Scientists, marine biologists, and others are working to discover more information about the Great Southern Reef. The book challenges children to collect rubbish from the beach and encourages them to invite their friends and families to recycle. The authors invite Frankie and Sam to be ocean stewards and ‘part of a network of friends to the amazing Great South Reef.’
The glossary provides a scientific name, common usage name and explanation in child-friendly language. It opens discussion and enquiry about the Great Southern Reef.
Suitable in classrooms for children aged 4 to 8.
Reviewed by Susanne Gervay
