Reviewed by Gail McDonald
This is a great story for young children of two to five, of a mother and child who visit a beach on a windy day.
The story focuses on the child and her dog exploring the deserted beach finding strands of seaweed and a tiny pink heart shaped shell. On each page the seagulls are flying, sometimes with massive wing spans, which provides an interesting discussion point with the child.
Together the mother and child build sandcastles and paddle in the shallow pools which look so inviting. The child climbs the highest of the sand dunes – standing up high with the world at her feet.
An interesting feature of this book is that the images appear to have been created elsewhere, cut out and collaged into the book. The colour tones of the watercolour and pencil illustrations in the background are muted which is a very relaxing for the reader.
The language is rhyming which always provides an interesting discussion point for the reader and the child.
Although the author has written short stories with Unsettled achieving high commendation and was published in the Stringbark Stories 2021 anthology, Little Treasure is her first published children’s book.
The illustrator Jennifer Goldsmith has illustrated other children’s books such as Where Happiness Hides and Freckles.
Little Treasure
[2023]
by Chanelle Gosper
Hachette
ISBN 978 073442 149 4
$24.99; 32pp