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ABBEY'S BOOKSELLER PICK ----- Once upon a time the southeastern forests of Australia thronged with Regent Honeyeaters. As a flock bird, song is essential for enticing a mate, and the longest run of sweet notes indicated a healthy and attractive male, who then passed his song on to his sons. But now there are fewer than 400 in the wild, the youngsters can't learn from the older birds and find themselves mimicking the calls of other species, and the females don't recognise their songs - and so the population shrinks even more. This picture book explains the Regent's plight, and shows how conservationists are trying to solve the problem, and that not all is lost…
Written in a simple and accessible style, with factual information included at the end, it is deftly illustrated by Jess Racklyeft in her typically loose and flowing watercolour style but also incorporating some historical material in collage form, with gentle washes of colour that evoke the bush. Another fine publication from CSIRO, and one that quietly and with power tells an essential story of an endangered bird and the challenges it faces. Written for ages 5-8, but the sort of kids' book that anyone can read and appreciate. Lindy
Jess Racklyeft is an author and illustrator based in Melbourne. She particularly loves illustrating plants and animals and sharing her love of the Australian bush. She is the illustrator of Iceberg (Allen & Unwin), which won Picture Book of the Year in the 2022 CBCA Awards. Coral Vass is an award-winning children's writer and author of Sorry Day (National Library of Australia Publishing). She has always loved telling stories and is passionate about giving all children an equal opportunity to read.
ABBEY'S BOOKSELLER PICK ----- Once upon a time the southeastern forests of Australia thronged with Regent Honeyeaters. As a flock bird, song is essential for enticing a mate, and the longest run of sweet notes indicated a healthy and attractive male, who then passed his song on to his sons. But now there are fewer than 400 in the wild, the youngsters can't learn from the older birds and find themselves mimicking the calls of other species, and the females don't recognise their songs - and so the population shrinks even more. This picture book explains the Regent's plight, and shows how conservationists are trying to solve the problem, and that not all is lost…
Written in a simple and accessible style, with factual information included at the end, it is deftly illustrated by Jess Racklyeft in her typically loose and flowing watercolour style but also incorporating some historical material in collage form, with gentle washes of colour that evoke the bush. Another fine publication from CSIRO, and one that quietly and with power tells an essential story of an endangered bird and the challenges it faces. Written for ages 5-8, but the sort of kids' book that anyone can read and appreciate. Lindy
"""The Forgotten Song is exquisitely beautiful, with both words and illustrations seeming to ooze hope, ingenuity and wonder. [...] Coral Vass’s sparkling words accompanied by Jess Racklyeft’s inspired and uplifting illustrations, which include the use of one hundred year old photos, bring this picture book to life in the most joyful of ways."" * Kids' Book Review * ""This is a beautifully illustrated and sweetly written tale of a regent honeyeater who forgets the song of his species, and learns to sing it again. [...] Teacher notes aligned to the Australian Curriculum are available"" * Gardening Australia * ""The Regent Honeyeater, a stunning bird of Australia's woodlands, is in real trouble. A large recovery effort is underway to save the species, with a suite of recovery actions being implemented across their range. This book beautifully captures the essence of the bird and its environment, the current situation it finds itself in, and the work of the amazing team working to save them from extinction."" -- Dean Ingwersen * Woodland Bird Program Leader and Regent Honeyeater recovery coordinator, BirdLife Australia *"
