Under the Southern Cross
Age 5+
People & Places Picture Books
From the bestselling and award-winning creator of A is for Australia and A is for Australian Animals comes a new narrative nonfiction picture book, which explores Australia after dark.
Night-time in Australia, animals are waking, people are exploring, discoveries are being made – under the Southern Cross.
What makes ribbons of colour swirl in the sky? What are the spooky balls of light that bounce across the outback? What animal lays eggs that look like squishy ping-pong balls? Where can you watch a movie with bats circling overhead? Discover the answers to these questions and more in this factastic picture book tour of Australia after dark.
A delightful companion to Under the Milky Way.
Creators
Frané Lessac is an author and illustrator of international renown, having nearly fifty children’s books published throughout the world. She was born in the USA and lived on the Caribbean island of Montserrat, as well as in London, before moving to Australia.Frané loves to travel and create books based on her worldwide journeys. She has contributed her distinctive paintings to many critically acclaimed children’s picture books including, The Legend of Moondyne Joe which won the West Australian Premier’s Children’s Book Award, and Simpson and His Donkey, a CBCA Honour Book that was also selected as a USBBY Outstanding International Book. In 2019, We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga, written by Traci Sorell, was awarded the Robert F. Sibert Honor Book Honor medal, the Orbis Pictus Honor Book medal and the Boston Globe Horn Book Honor medal.
Reviews
Children will be intrigued with the facts given and ask further questions while poring over the illustrations, seeking out the Southern Cross in the night sky on each page, while seeing where Banjo the dog is hidden.
ReadPlus
Under the Southern Cross is a joyful book that thankfully moves away from the usual Australian stereotypes to incorporate lesser-known and possibly more interesting details. A lovely invitation to get to know this beautiful country a little more, it would be a great addition to any child’s library and especially useful in kindergartens and early primary school classrooms.
Reading Time
So many wonders in the sky after dark!
Trevor Cairney Blog
Do you ever read a book and think, ‘well for glory goodness sake why hasn’t that been done before?!’. That was my first thought on reading Lessac’s latest book – another sumptios offering from a talented author/illustrator.
Children's Books Daily
Under the Southern Cross is very satisfying to read either aloud or to oneself and is sure to become a classic, popular with Australians and visitors to this country alike.
Magpies Magazine
