I’m writing this story in a bottle lost at sea…..
Magic Fish Dreaming by June Perkins is a collection of poems for children that ignite imagination, incite dreaming and explore the great land and wildlife of Australia.
Poetry is not something I read a lot of – but after reading Magic Fish Dreaming by June Perkins I believe it is something I should do more often.
Not only did I enjoy the diverse range of poems included in this book but the children I read it to lapped it up.
My son asked me to read the poem about the Cassowary several times over along with Pond Pests and Magic Fish Dreaming. We loved the rhyme in some poems, the storytelling within others and the speech between families.
Each poem told a different story and really ignited conversations about fairy teeth, why a Cassowary wasn’t at his home and the possibility of us going on an adventure in a bottle.
June Perkin’s poems are short yet effervescent. They are perfect for reading out loud and some of these poems can also be read as a group. Helen Magisson’s delicate pastel illustrations compliment each poem and add more mystery to those poems which make you sit and wonder; what if?
Not only are these poems full of imaginative places they also bring up issues of endangered animals, loss of habitat and the importance of respecting the land. The beauty of these poems that talk about cane toad invasion and loss of natural habitat is that the message can be quickly understood – something that is really important when trying to educate young children.
Magic Fish Dreaming is a wonderful anthology and one to share with your young children.
So what can you do at home?
- Read the poems out loud – which poems can you read together? Which poems have different characters?
- Find the poems that have rhyme – do you prefer poems with or without rhyme?
- Which animals are mentioned in the story are endangered? Find out where these animals live and why they are endangered.
- What are cane toad poles? Why are cane toads pests?
- Rain is mentioned in a few poems – explore how rain can help and hinder the people and animals of the land.
- Choose a favourite poem and create a short story from this poem. You could explore the idea of writing a story from a bottle or perhaps finding your own fairy tooth.
