Published: 1st April 2019
Publisher: Wombat Books
Illustrator: Krista Brennan
Pages: 32
Format: Paperback
★ ★ ★ ★ – 4 Stars
Once, a long time ago
My grandmother’s grandmother
Travelled far, far across the seas
Kate Forsyth tells tales of her ancestors’ lives in Australia in this beautifully illustrated picture book. From the first perilous journey to a new land, to the great wars and civil rights movements, readers live through key moments in Australia’s fascinating history.
This is a beautiful story about the power of stories and the impact they have on those who listen. Forsyth tells us the story of her family and the stories they passed down as they lived through all the important moments in Australia’s history, not to mention the strength of the women who experienced them. It is a beautifully simple tale about telling your own story, and the power your own story has.
Brennan’s stunning illustrations accompany Forsyth’s words with colour and vibrancy. The full page, complex scenes are beautiful and filled with rich colours, each page telling its own visual story as well.
There are not many words or rhyme, but there is a repetition and a pattern that becomes more powerful the further the story progresses. It makes you realise that in a few generations the world can change, but it also is brought to life through those who remember it.
Forsyth’s words are simple but impactful and evoke a lot of meaning. I loved that we see the generations of now and long ago, cherished and remembered through a connection of stories.
You can purchase Once via the following
Lost in a Good Book 