Title: Kind: A Call to Care For Every Creature
Author/Illustrator: Jess McGeachin
Published: May 2022
Publisher: Allen and Unwin
Readership: Children’s Non-Fiction Picturebook
Rating: ★★★★★
RRP: $24.99
I received a copy of Kind from the publishers for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
From one of Australia’s most talented new picture-book creators comes this beautiful ode to the wonders of our natural world.
My first thought after reading Kind for the first time was: what a beautiful book!
Kind is a celebration of the animal kingdom, from the smallest insect to the largest creatures that roam the earth and swim in the sea. It couples rhyming verses with some of the loveliest illustrations that showcases the diversity of animal life while reminding us of the importance caring for our fauna.
Just about every page of this book begins with the phrase ‘Be kind to…’
It’s the introduction to the part of the animal kingdom on display on each page. From insects to bird life, to snakes and mammals, this book goes through the different animals found all across the world, highlighting their features in a beautiful way, reminding us why we should respect and care for them. Each page also features some stunning artwork of the different classifications of animals – so not only are we learning how to look after these magnificent animals, but it’s a great way to learn about different types of these animals, too.
The writing is lyrical and rhymes (which I know my students will be very excited about – they can’t get enough of identifying rhyming text!) and draws you along on a journal through our amazingly diverse fauna. It also reminds us to save some of that kindness for ourselves.
And, while this doesn’t relate to the actual content of the book, the hardcover itself is a beautiful, tactile cover. The background has a texture to it, while the images are glossy and the whole thing looks and feels like a beautiful object. Presentation is important and I’d be a liar if I said that I didn’t spend some time running my fingertips across the surface of the book because it feels nice.
This is a beautiful book and I know it will make a wonderful addition to any picturebook collection!
Noveltea Corner 