Sean Farrar (text), Pat Kan (illus.), There’s a Magpie in My Soup, Big Sky Publishing, August 2016, 32pp., $14.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781925275681
Combining absurdity with iconic Australian animals in a rollicking rhythm of word and language play is the first in this series, There’s a Magpie in My Soup. Bubbling with energy, the illustrations complement the text with their vibrant, splatterings of watercolours and striking line technique. Although at times feeling slightly stilted, the rhyme is exuberant and, with the integration of some alliteration, makes for a fun read aloud experience.
Children from age four will delight in this ridiculous comedy featuring a raucous menagerie of feathers, fur, scales and skin. Food and furniture become invaded in totally nonsensical ways, beginning with the black and white feathered mass splashing about in hot, red soup. The list of brash wildlife overtaking our everyday pleasures continue, including a black snake in the cake, a cockatoo in the loo, a tadpole in the tea and a possum in a pie. The book ends with a promise to tell us of a giddy goanna should we return, not quite the surprising ending I would have hoped for.
There’s a Magpie in My Soup is sure to create many a giggle and plenty of opportunities for language and wildlife study, and imaginative plays of your own.
There’s a Koala in My Kitchen is due to be released in 2017.
Reviewed by Romi Sharp
