Reviewed by Wendy Lipke
What a fascinating informative book which I am sure all students would enjoy reading. It has been presented in a unique format and includes typical Australian humour. Yet at the same time it shares lots of information about the work being done at the Melbourne University by the TIGRR research team (Thylacine integrated Genetic Restoration Research).
A young girl has a project to do over the weekend and falls asleep at her mother’s desk in the process. She is woken by ‘the ghost of thylacines past, present and future’ (11) who takes her on a journey to discover the story of these extinct Tasmanian animals. Her pet dog, Tassie, shares her experiences.
The book is divided into three main parts – The Past, Tasmania 200 years ago; The Present, Melbourne Victoria; and The Future, 25 years from now. This is followed by a nine page ‘(technically not) another section’ (150), which sums up the research behind the story.
The dominant colours used throughout the book are blue, blush and white. The story follows the travellers and is presented in comic format with extra information usually at the bottom of the pages. The print for the extra information is in a smaller font and different colour from the main storyline. It is in these sections that the humour, through a play on words, can be found.
Different groups of animals with their specific characteristics are explained with an emphasis that each plays a different role in nature. This role affects their appearance, even if they belong to the same broad animal group. An interesting fact I learned was that some mammals have front facing pouches while for others they are back facing.
Many scientific terms are used but have an explanation which is easily understand. Some concepts covered in this book are convergent evolution, de-extinction, generalist predators, cloning and bioengineering. However, the reader does not feel overwhelmed. The explanations and the way they are presented would be easily understood by both primary and secondary school students.
The Thylacine and the Time Machine is presented by Renée Treml who has a background in environmental science and ecology. She is fascinated with the natural history of thylacines.
As an older Australian I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book as I am sure people of all ages would. The presentation makes it easy to read and the illustrations help break up the text and add interest. The information has been presented in a casual way, yet the importance of the message is not lost.
The Thylacine and the Time Machine
(2025)
by Renée Treml
Allen & Unwin
ISBN:978-176118-118-4
$17.99; 164pp