Stickboy (Rebecca Young, illus Matt Ottley, Scholastic)
From the multi-award-winning creators of Teacup comes a lyrical new picture book about a young boy’s hope and determination in the face of adversity. In a dry and barren land where dust storms rage and the earth cracks and shifts, Stickboy is always left behind when the hunters go in search of water. Left to his own devices, he finds solace in moonlight, listening to the wind and recalling Grandmother’s stories of when oceans covered the land. Grandmother believed water would return to the land, and so does Stickboy, who was told a prophecy by the wind: ‘Loudest of all, the wind spoke of water. It was coming, and Stickboy would be the one to find it.’ In Stickboy, Rebecca Young and Matt Ottley tell a gentle and tender tale of a boy’s courage and spirit. Ottley’s intricate illustrations of a sparse and other-worldly landscape, paired with Young’s poetic writing style, pave the way for young readers to explore their imagination. With subtle themes of environmental conservation, home and belonging, Stickboy is a beautiful picture book that will offer generative discussions with readers aged 5 and up.
Books+Publishing reviewer: Anthea Yang is a writer and editor living in Naarm/Melbourne. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.
Category: Friday Unlocked reviews Reviews