Judith Rossell is a full-time Melbourne-based illustrator and textile designer. Among the many books she has illustrated are the Children's Book Council of Australia's 1999 short listed title, How to Guzzle Your Garden, the popular Blackbread the Pir
'There are many things that I like about being me', this picture book begins. And proceeds as a kind of catalogue of well-loved physical activities of small children, such as somersaults, swimming and blowing bubbles. Some are perhaps in the realm of fantasy for modern urban children 'I can run with a kite . . . or climb up a tree.' The narrator is a soft- toy hare, with a much smaller companion mouse (or rat?) who joins in the play. The illustrations convey delight in movement, and their light, airy quality show a new direction for Judith Rossell, illustrator of picture puzzle books The Lost Treasure of the Green Iguana, The Haunted Castle of Count Viper, and 'Inspector Stilton' books. As with many picture books, much depends on the page turn--the last two words accompany an embrace between the two companions. The ungendered 'me' and 'you' work well read-aloud--they could be expressing warm parental love or that of siblings or playmates. Yes, the shadowy presence of a certain Nutbrown Hare can be discerned. Reassuring, if not startlingly original, for pre-schoolers. Robin Morrow was a specialist bookseller and now teaches and reviews children's literature
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