The little book of Australia's Big Things by Samone Bos

Ill. Alice Oehr. Hardie Grant Egmont, 2015. ISBN 9781760125547
(Ages 8+) Recommended. The little book of Australia's Big Things is an activity book filled with fun facts, photos, activities, recipes and jokes, all wrapped up in a bonus panoramic jacket. Samone Bos has chosen ten of Australia's Big Things to celebrate, with much-loved familiar favourites including The Big Pineapple, Banana, Penguin, Galah, Trout and Penguin. Australia has many natural big wonders, however, this book focuses on man-made giant structures.
There's a Big Thing Lowdown, photos, location map, a Big Activity page and a Big Pop-Out page that can be cut from the book and made into a model. A serrated edge allows for easy removal. As an alternative to cutting up this hardcover information book, why not photocopy, colour and create your own model? This allows the book to be read and enjoyed again.
Illustrator and designer Alice Oehr's graphic styling includes bold pops of colour, quirky wallpaper, layered placement of titles and bright titles in different sizes and types.
With everything from teaching a galah to talk, to making a delicious chocolate log cake, this informative book is just perfect as a gift for a young overseas visitor or a reader who loves to engage with quirky facts and enjoys paper craft activities.
Rhyllis Bignell