Volcano

by Claire Saxby

illustrated by Jess Racklyeft

Published by Allen & Unwin
ISBN 9781761180644

Volcanos are spectacular! This picture book for 5 -8 year olds, just about captures the wonder. It may inspire them to find out more about what lies below the earth's surface.

Chimney's in the sea? Yes, see how they are formed and what happens when the hot and cold meet as a chimney forms and grows providing food for fish and colony's of unexpected creatures.

When the volcano rumbles things start to happen along the seabed. New volcanos erupt further away, there is a constant heating and cooling going on. The explanations of what is happening, new life forms phytoplankton, sponges, turtles, sharks and whales. Your younger readers will be amazed and perhaps they will have a different outlook when they visit the sea and think about what's going on down in the deep and not so deep region the oceans.

Through the dramatic illustrations see the volcanos and how they erupt, especially with the two amazing opening spreads. And then see how islands form from these volcanos as they cool and what happens when there is a quake.

This is marvellous book to get kids interested in the natural world. We love this book and would not be surprised if it wins awards!

The author

laire Saxby, born in Melbourne, moved to Newcastle as a toddler and to Bougainville Island in PNG when she was ten. She attended many schools around Australia before studying in Melbourne to become a podiatrist. For several years Claire worked in community health while simultaneously writing for children. Her books fall into three main categories: our wonderful world, history and humour. Claire's work has won several awards including CBCA Picture Book of the Year, CBCA Honour Book, a NSW Premier's Literary Award, a SCBWI Crystal Kite Award, an Environment Award for Children's Literature, an Educational Publishing Award and the Whitley Award multiple times. She is widely curious about just about everything and passionate about encouraging curiosity and wonder.

The illustrator

Jess Racklyeft is an illustrator and author of over 40 picture books. She often combines collage - either on paper or digitally assembled - with experimentation and lots of watercolour. Jess worked in publishing sales for almost a decade before making the leap to full-time illustration, and since then has won several illustration accolades including CBCA Picture Book of the Year for Iceberg (written by Claire Saxby). Her work can now be found in bookshops and libraries across Australia.