The snake and the boy by Azmen Sebastian

Magabala Books, 2011.
(Ages 5+) Warmly recommended. Picture book. The summer heat of the northern Western Australia is reproduced both in the stunningly colourful images as well as the text as the boy, one among many, plays on the swing in the playground at school. Down the bark of the old paperbark tree a green tree snake makes its way to the ground and slithers across the yard to the place where the boy is playing. He bites into his apple, and slides away, leaving the boy to wonder about who ate his apple, but unbeknownst to him, he narrowly missed an encounter with a snake.
Written and illustrated by 12 year old Azmen, a boy from Broome, this is a delight. The spare words tell the reader a lot about life in Broome and the kids in the playground, underlining their day to day activities but with the added menace of the snake. Colourful swirling images complete this lovely book.
Fran Knight