School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-This picture book begins with a young boy and girl posing the question; "I'm Australian! How about you?" What follows is a rhyming and colorful spread of various children explaining their origins and family roots. "My dad grew up in Darwin,/my mum in Humpty Doo./Our mob's been here forever-/now we share the place with you." Each child's tale is accompanied by a lovely graphic-style illustration by Ghosh, depicting the various landscapes of Australia or simply children playing in a pool or waiting by a bus stop. Fox touches on current immigrants, such as those from Syria and Afghanistan, and the violence they have escaped in an age-appropriate manner. The conclusion of the book is less chipper with a young girl holding a bird cage, standing next to a large, concrete wall with the text; "Sadly, I'm a refugee-/I'm not Australian yet./But if your country lets me in,/I'd love to be a vet." There is also a map at the beginning of the story showing where everyone "hailed from" and the end of the book displays another map showing where they now live in Australia. VERDICT While immigration is certainly a major news item today, the cities and regions in Australia may be too far removed for the majority of American children to relate to. An optional purchase.-Amy Nolan, St. Joseph Public Library, MI © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
This celebration of immigration, titled I'm an Australian in its country of origin, offers American readers a fresh perspective on both Australia, the home country of Fox (Time for Bed), and on issues of citizenship and diversity that are dominating the news. "I'm Australian! How about you?" asks a child in the first spread. The answers start with Australian-born parents ("My mum was born in Sydney,/ my dad in Ballarat") but soon introduce readers to kids whose parents left countries around the world to find refuge, hope, and a sense of belonging in their adopted home. Crisp, full-bleed spreads by Ghosh (Ollie and the Wind) seem to focus on the present, pointedly juxtaposing the characters' dramatic backstories. As father and son wait at the bus stop, the narration explains, "Syria was where I lived,/ but then we had to flee./ Our family's now in Brisbane,/ and we're as safe as safe can be." Referring to war and refugees' desperate flights in sing-song, rhyming lines may feel jarring. Still, there is also something deeply heartening about a book that asserts, "We open doors to strangers," and ends with such a hopeful, unifying image: "Together now, we live in peace,/ beneath the Southern star." Ages up to 8. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
