Hullabazoo

Lisa Hollier (text)

Tracey Roper (illustrations)

Puffin Books, Penguin, Australia: 2010

ISBN: 9780670074822

Genres: adventure, picture book

Lachlan's idea of a perfect day is to go to the zoo. All goes well until Lachlan's favourite cap falls into the water... in the crocodile pool. Soon chaos reigns, with Lachlan at his helpful best in the centre of the mayhem.

Although the rhythm of the text is occasionally forced and hesitant, making a little practise necessary before fluent reading aloud is possible, the story is so delightfully whimsical that it becomes a minor flaw. Roper's illustrations are outstanding - the astonishing range of expression on both human and animal faces is quite remarkable. The brightly coloured, detailed paintings, created with a great sense of comic narrative, are reminiscent of Graeme Base, suggesting that Roper is an illustrator to watch as this is her first picture book.

Highly recommended - but adults are warned that youngsters will demand repeat readings.