Fabulous story for both the child and the adult with a lovely surprise twist at the end.
Feature image credit: Penguin Books Australia
Wow, what a lovely surprise these books were. Absolutely delightful illustrations and a text with an unexpected ending make them something that can be enjoyed over and over.
Shelley Knoll-Miller is an Australian illustrator who has over 20 years’ experience as a cartoonist. Parcel from Penguin, published in February this year, was Knoll-Miller’s first book where she was both illustrator and author. She has previously had a book published which was written by Josh Lawson.
Her latest two books, Parcel for Koala, which is set in the Australian bush with cockatoos, bats and possums, and Parcel for Gorilla, which moves to a different continent with an elephant, a snake, and a hog, follow the same format. Both animals receive a parcel delivery and their animal friends all try to guess what is inside. Children may also notice that the “postbird” is the same in each book.
The illustrations are fabulous! The adorable Koala has his tongue out as he opens his parcel, the cockatoos are noisily squawking all around him, and all their facial expressions are very funny — as are those on the African animals as they look crazed, angry, and excited.
There is so much to take in on each double page of illustrations and the conversation may last much longer than just reading the text.
It is always a delight when the inside cover of a book gives the reader more information, and these books have the central characters, the koala and the gorilla, in different poses when they are trying to sleep. These pictures are a discussion point even before getting to the main story.
Bright colours, detailed illustrations and a fun text make these books a must have for any young child and would be a great addition to a junior primary classroom with the children trying to guess what might be in the package and what this seemingly useless gift could be used for. This could also generate their own story writing based on the same concept.
Highly recommended.
Reviewed by Sue Mauger
The views expressed in this review belong to the author and not Glam Adelaide, its affiliates, or employees.
Parcel for Gorilla
Distributed by: Penguin Books Australia
Released: May 2023
RRP: $14.99
Parcel for Koala
Distributed by: Penguin Books Australia
Released: July 2023 and May 2023
RRP: $14.99
