Banjo and Ruby Red by Libby Gleeson and Freya Blackwood
Little Hare, 2013. ISBN 9781921541087.
Is there anything better than chooks in books? I've been building
units of work around that theme for years and I've just discovered
the BEST one to add to my collection.
Old Banjo is a chook dog. He sleeps in the sun with one eye on his
charges as they peck and scratch and discover goodies that only
chooks delight in. And each evening, when he gets the signal,
Banjo barks and the chooks come from everywhere, scampering and
scurrying to be safe on their roosts from the night creatures.
All except Ruby Red. From her perch on top of the woodheap,
she defies Banjo with an arrogance and aloofness that just o-o-z-e-s
from the illustrations. Ruffling her feathers and stretching
her neck to stare at the sky, she shows Banjo who's top of the
pecking order!
It's a game they play every day until one day, there is no Ruby Red
on top of the woodheap. Banjo is baffled and searches and
searches until he finds her, lying still, feathers flat, eyes
closed.
This is a remarkable story of a relationship between a dog and a
chook that might seem difficult to believe, if I hadn't seen it with
my dog Ebony and our chooks, Steggles and Ingham.
Because they were here before she was, she's grown up with them and
thinks she is one of them. Being the same height, they often
eyeball each other and see who gives in first, and all three run to
the gate when they hear the sound of a familiar motor. Ebony
runs at them full tilt, either dodging at the very last minute or
leaping over them. The chooks just stand there, unfazed,
knowing that a quick peck will bring her into line. They are the
triumvirate ruling this household daring any other creatures to set
foot into their domain. There's been more than one night when Ebony,
who is well named, has been locked in the chookhouse in the dark! So
it's no wonder I love it, and Miss 7 and Miss 2 begged me to give it
to them after we barked and squawked our way through it together.
The award-winning combination of Libby Gleeson and Freya Blackwood
would be reason enough to buy this book - neither needs any
introduction as the creators of the best of literature for young
readers - but its subject has made it a personal favourite. Miss 7
and Miss 2 might just have to love it while they are here . . .
Barbara Braxton