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Wednesday, April 09, 2014

Riley And The Jumpy Kangaroo: A Journey Around Canberra, By Tania McCartney, ill. by Kieron Pratt.. Melbourne, Ford Street, 2013



This is the latest in Tania McCartney’s series of travelogues centred around various cities, some in Australia, some in Asia. This one is set in the author’s home town. Riley is a young boy with a biplane, which he uses to chase various characters around the city, accompanied by his animal friends. In this case, it starts in Parliament, where Riley hears a Booming sound that turns out to be a kangaroo,  then goes through Black Mountain Tower, the Botanical Gardens and other Canberra landmarks. 

The book is a clever mixture of cartoons and photographs, a nice, entertaining way to introduce children to various places in the country. Not quite Possum Magic, but should appeal to children who enjoyed that classic.

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