Here are the adventures of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie. They were foster brothers and this is how it came about.
In a newly printed hardback edition, Scholastic publishing have combined three of May Gibbs’ stories about Snugglepot and Cuddlepie and the adventures they have in the Australian bush with all of the bushland creatures and other magical gum nuts and gum blossoms.
May Gibbs’ illustrations are scattered throughout the book adding life and fun to the stories whilst allowing readers of all ages to see how May Gibbs saw her gum nut creations in the Australian bush and of course how the Australian animals and mean Banksia men interacted with them.
May Gibbs’ stories were written over 100 years ago and have lasted through the years as they dance in children’s imaginations on what life could be like in the gum trees of the Australian bush.
They are possibly even more important today as we grow our cities and forget about the outside world. Perhaps reigniting these books will help children to get their parents outside and into natural spaces more often – growing their appreciation of the bush and therefore being defenders of the natural spaces we still have.
This is the perfect Christmas or birthday gift and a great book to share in classrooms. Novel studies and illustration studies of May Gibbs work can be linked to so many discussions and areas of the curriculum.
