[Nonfiction Wednesday] The Beauty of Australia Captured Through Frané Lessac’s Alphabet Book

Myra here.

We are delighted to join the Nonfiction Picture Book meme 2018 hosted by Alyson Beecher @ Kid Lit Frenzy. We would also be linking our nonfiction choices with our reading themes throughout the year, when we can.

As we celebrate beauty, art, music, I thought it would also be good to celebrate the beauty of a place – especially as captured through the eyes of multi-award-winning and prolific American author now based in Australia, the amazing Frané Lessac.

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A Is For Australia: A Factastic Tour

Written and Illustrated by Frané Lessac
Published by Walker Books, Australia (2015)
ISBN13: 9781922179760
Book was given to me by the author. Book photos taken by me.

I have to confess that Australia is one of my favourite countries. While I have visited Sydney (New South Wales), Queensland (Brisbane), and Perth – Frané Lessac’s alphabet book was enough to convince me that I haven’t even scratched the surface of this magnificent country, and that I have to come back, stat!

Each letter of the alphabet stands for a place that is just begging to be visited. It is not just the incredibly rich artwork of Frané that makes this book work for me, but also the engaging and easily accessible information provided about each place, that would make even the most reluctant reader want to find out more.

She seems to have captured the pulse of young readers, such that she is aware what facts would clearly interest them.

I was also very privileged to moderate Frané’s session on “Windows Into Worlds” during the very recently concluded Asian Festival of Children’s Content. Her exuberance, light, and evident love for what she does shone through in every detail, every utterance, every shade of iridescent colour included in her books.

This photo was taken during the AFCC Singapore Night (and 50th Anniversary Gala Dinner of the Singapore Book Council) at the Fullerton Hotel. From Left to Right: Gene Segarra Navera (a good friend who teaches at National University of Singapore), Frané Lessac, me, and Lucia Obi (one of the Keynote Speakers for the Festival this year and the Asian Specialist at the International Youth Library in Munich).

Thank you, again, dear Frané for sharing this wonderful book with me. For teachers who wish to use this book in the classroom, here is a downloadable PDF guide containing quite a fair number of classroom ideas for you to play around with from Frané’s website.

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#LitWorld2018GB Update: Australia