Helen Borten, Do You Hear What I Hear?, Flying Eye Books/Walker Australia, 1 June 2016, 48pp., $27.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781909263857
An original book that encourages youngsters to think about the concept of sound. In straightforward language the author explores the numerous properties of sound, for example, it can be loud or soft; short, long or never ending. She then shows how various sounds affect us in different ways, and how knowing what is making the sound can also affect our response, making us feel happy or sad, frightened or soothed, and so on. The final pages introduce the idea of rhythm and combined sounds as in a city street or symphony orchestra. The design is as thoughtful as the text with simple illustrations in limited colours, and imaginative endpapers depicting sheet music superimposed with numerous items such as a bird, trumpet and saw. Ages 3-8. Recommended.
Reviewed by Elizabeth Douglas