Snug As A Hug: an Australian lullaby

Marcia Vaughan (text)

Pamela Lofts (illus)

Scholastic, Australia: 2010

ISBN: 9781741695212

Genres: picture book, poetry

‘Joey is sleeping curled up in Mum's pouch./ Koala is resting on a limb like a couch.'

Thus begins this gentle, rhythmic ‘goodnight' poem. Magnificent, finger-tempting illustrations of sleepy Australian animals as they settle down for the evening also offer hints at critters whose activity begins when the sun sets. Insects, frogs, nightbirds and others lurk at the edges of the page, reminding the reader of the endless rhythm of life itself and leading them easily into the final, dreamlike images.

Vaughan's text scans flawlessly, flowing effortlessly from the mouth of the reader, with a steady heartbeat that is ideal for a lullaby. This is a gem of a picture book, perfect for sharing at any time of the day or night. A must-have for early learning centres, this is a book that will also support units of work relating to Australian animals.