Juniper's Painting by Catherine Bauer. Illus. by Jennifer Horn

Juniper loves the beach and her greatest joy is being outdoors exploring her beachside environment. On rainy, grey days Juniper struggles with being indoors and finding something to while away the time.

The beautiful rainbow coloured cover of Juniper’s Painting is a precursor to the delightful illustrations shared throughout the book. The clever endpapers with sparse grey images at the front with a tiny paint palette in the corner, give way to the final endpapers showcasing a bright and sunny beach scene painted by Juniper in all its glory.

This is a picture book where the illustrations and text work perfectly together. The opening sentence… ‘It was a grubby-grey, hazy-sky day’ sets the tone for the feelings felt by Juniper. Added to the words are swirling grey clouds and dark seas. With the red roof of Juniper’s house a standout on the following page, the descriptive language used such as blurry smudge, lurched, rolled, pitched and tumbled describes the wild weather outdoor scene vividly.

Juniper is forced by the weather to find indoor activities to occupy herself while her Mamma works. She moves from activity to activity all shown in shades of grey with the occasional pop of colour. Finally Juniper settles down to a paint a beach scene and is so engrossed that she does not realise the sun is out and she and her Mamma head outdoors.

This is a delightful read. It tells a familiar story that younger readers may recognise when stormy weather might halt or change their plans. The striking illustrations complement the perfectly positioned text and provide so much visual interest.

Themes: Beach, Stormy Weather, Painting, Family, Home, Indoor Activities.

Kathryn Beilby