The Great Dawn Choir by Sarah Speedie. Illus. by Cindy Lane

The glorious cover of morning colours plus well-known Australian birds will hook readers immediately to The Great Dawn Choir. With the bright endpapers showcasing the different types of feathers, this delightful picture book will appeal to readers both young and old.

The striking double page glossy spreads are a joy to ponder over. The brilliant detail of the birds and the colourful backgrounds displayed, along with the skilfully rhyming text, will encourage readers to think about these familiar birds in a deeper way.

There are some excellent examples of onomatopoeia with words such as the sulphur-crested cockatoo’s Caw!, the magpie’s Ordle!, the rainbow lorikeet’s Tweet!, the fairy-wren’s Chitter! and Ha! from the kookaburras. Each vibrant page is a joy to read aloud and the final verse and images are just beautiful. There is also additional information about each of the birds portrayed in the narrative. A perfect learning opportunity for further research.

This wonderful book is a visual delight and definitely deserves a place in a home, school or public library. 

Teacher notes are available.

Themes: Birds, Birdsong, Dawn, Australian Birds, Nature, Rhyme.

Kathryn Beilby