Jacqui A’Court, Trumble and Ludwig’s Forest Adventure, Little Steps, May 2018, 71 pp., RRP $14.95 (pbk), ISBN 9781925545760
Ludwig and Trumble are twin Tasmanian devils. Troubled by their Granny Nell’s facial lumps (the Tasmanian Devil Facial Tumour Disease) they set off to find a cure. They find a Squorch seed to cure her, but in the end, Granny doesn’t eat it. Instead she plants the seed which grows into a tree, bearing seeds to cure others of the disease. This metaphor for hope ends the book on a positive note.
In nine chapters and seventy-one pages, this is an illustrated story rather than a picture book. The water-colour illustrations by author/illustrator Jacqui A’Court use a muted palette and have a dream-like quality.
As with many partnership publishing projects, this book has a dual purpose of education and awareness, and part proceeds from this book will go to the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program.
Reviewed by Julie Thorndyke