Pancakes for Plum (Rae Tan, Lothian)

Pancakes for Plum is a charming story about discovering what we love and following our hearts to find things that make us happy. Plum’s brothers are good at climbing and painting, but nothing seems like a good fit for Plum until, one day, she hears music and finds her passion. This is a gentle story about realising that everyone has a talent and a strength to cultivate, but it may take some trial and error to find it. Debut author and illustrator Rae Tan uses simple and accessible language and repeated phrases to convey the essence of family and emphasise its vital role in supporting us. The book also celebrates the unifying power of music in bringing people together. Tan’s symbolic use of pancakes in the story represents how Plum feels when she hears music, providing an effective way to describe and explore feelings of joy and connection with a readership aged 3+. Tan uses pastels and watercolours to give the book a warm, vibrant feel. The illustrations bring the character relationships to life and the added details of Plum’s pom pom dress, with its scattered pom poms across the pages, along with the gold collaged circles representing music, create simple yet beautiful imagery.

Books+Publishing reviewer: M H Alessandrino is a Perth-based freelance writer and reviewer. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

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