Sunday, April 19, 2015

Harold and Grace by Sean E Avery

Reviewed By Carmela Ramos


     This creative and intriguing picture book, will definitely be a teacher’s delight. Harold and Grace is perfect for Kindy to grade 3 children. Written in simple and suitable language with enough unfamiliar words to expand children’s vocabulary, Harold and Grace will fascinate as it educates. Not only does it explore wetland ecosystems and the life cycles of butterflies and frogs, the reader will also be gifted with a beautiful story of an unlikely friendship between a plump, cute, furry caterpillar named Grace, and an adventurous, loveable, buck-toothed tadpole named Harold.

     Sean E Avery’s process of using a combination of traditional art and digital art is exciting and fresh. The sketchy ink drawings together with the runny green and purple tones are unique and effective. The colours successfully enhance the feel of a wet, slimy, leafy environment. The characters' expressions are fun and filled with emotion. My six-year-old son pointed out that “on the front cover Grace feels furry and Harold feels slippery.” I was also amazed when my son observed how Harold and Grace’s colours changed from the beginning of the book to the end. He stated, “They swapped colours!”.

     The story of Harold and Grace opens up discussions on friendship, bullying, feelings, the environment, and the wonders of metamorphosis. With so much to explore, Harold and Grace makes an ideal addition to children’s libraries and lower-primary classrooms.  

For more information and access to some great Teaching Notes go to the publisher's website  www.fremantlepress.com.au  






About The Author

     Sean E Avery is an internationally acclaimed sculptor, author and illustrator best known for his animal sculptures made from CDs and electronic waste, some of which are featured in the SciTech (Perth) and Ripley's Believe It or Not (USA) exhibitions. He has presented at various Writers festivals and represented Australia at the International Waste To Art exhibition in Baku, Azerbaijan in 2014.


AUTHOR'S WEBSITE : http://seaneavery.com/home.html


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