City Of
Light is an
absolute delight. A wonderful non-fiction picture book, it is based on the true
story of John Glenn who was the first American astronaut to orbit the earth.
1962 was a
time of encyclopaedias, pipe smoking and families either chatting over the back
fence or gathered around a small colour tv in the lounge room – a world away
from today’s instant access to news and current events.
This story takes us back in time to the world of 1962, through two small
children with a big dream: they want astronaut John Glenn to see them,
as he flies over their Perth home at night! Will their
torches be bright enough for the job? Mum and Dad don’t think so.
An
astronaut can only see the big things on earth… The Pyramids, The Amazon River,
The Grand Canyon.
Hmm. How to
light up their city at night?
The
children invent lots of different ideas until finally they touch on one that
might just work. And so, they create a successful action plan by enlisting the
help of family, friends and the wider community. The whole city of Perth, in
fact!
Every page-turn
in this book brings something more to ponder and pore over. Clever, immersive
writing and illustrations team together to create a world that is utterly alive
on the page.
And the
pictures are divine. Full of movement with loose, fluid line markings on the
page and colour in all the right places, they somehow evoke a timeless joy.
Interiors are beautifully shadowed, characters are full of expression and the
inclusion of scribbled pencil marks brings an extra depth and sense of
animation.
Surprises
jump out. The outhouse with bare feet under the door will no doubt elicit
questions from young readers – as will those fabulous ginger cousins with their
bakelite telephone!
This book embodies
lots of the best things in life – imagination, connection, working together,
and believing in something that’s bigger than all of us.
A wonderful
yarn with the perfect visual accompaniment.
What’s not
to love!
Title: City Of Light
Author: Julia Lawrinson
Illustrators: Heather Potter & Mark Jackson
Publisher: Wild Dog Books, $24.99
Publication Date: February 2023
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781742036304
For ages: 5+
Type: Picture Books For Older Readers
