Adam Wallace (1)

If you're considering inviting a dinosaur to your birthday party, this books will have you thinking twice.

Without even a breath of introduction, the first page dives right into the silly fun and sets the tone with dinosaurs, birthdays and farts. It's like jumping from nothing into super-hyper drive pure. From one chaotic ridiculousness to the next, the dinosaurs bring unexpected problems to every part of the party. None of this is done with even the slightest hint of malice. Rather, these show more dinosaurs are cheerful, and pleasant...they simply can't help that not everything runs seamlessly. It's quirky and explosive fun, keeping humor and giggles in constant supply.

The illustrations are bright and bold, letting each situation hit full force. The dinosaurs are recognizable, and this will delight young, dinosaur fans. The author has worked in a few dino-facts along the way, letting readers learn a little despite the chaos. The rhyming style adds to the whimsical atmosphere and, for the most part, flows smoothly. It does make a nice read-aloud and will interest more than just dinosaur friends. Just be ready for more than a few giggles and laughs because this one is anything but a calm read. I received an ARC and enjoyed the hilarious nonsense quite a bit. show less

A unicorn heads to the zoo in this rhyming picture book from author Adam Wallace and illustrator Andy Elkerton, staying one step ahead of the gang of kids who wish to capture him. Flitting from one enclosure to the next, he evades the various stratagems, from decoy treats to nets, that the children employ to catch him...

One of a series of books from this author/illustrator team in this vein—there appear to be thirteen titles thus far, with this one the ninth—How to Catch a Unicorn is a show more book I sought out largely because I am on a unicorn picture book kick at the moment. I was not familiar with the series or its creators before picking it up, so I had no particular expectations. Unfortunately, I didn't care for it, finding the text uninspiring and the artwork unappealing. The story idea itself was rather repellant—the idea of capturing and caging magical things is off-putting in general, but especially repugnant when it comes to unicorns, which are said to be very shy, and only show themselves to the lucky few—and while the text is readable enough, in a bouncy way, it didn't compensate for my distaste. The artwork is very colorful, and full of sparkle, but I ended up finding it rather garish, and too cartoonish for my taste. Of course, tastes vary, and online reviews seem to indicate that children love the books in these series. This being so, I recommend parents or care-givers of unicorn-loving children to give it a try, to see if it works for them. show less

Spark by Adam Wallace and Andrew Plant
Ford St, 2016
9781925272413, $24.95 hb
Reviewed by Emily Meldrum
Essentially Spark is a story about a bushfire told from the fire’s own perspective. Sounds simple… but it really is so much more. As many bushfires do, this one ignites from a simple cigarette butt thrown onto dry grass, it joins the wind and together they play.
Fire is excited to have a new friend and delights in flying through the forest. It is only when the wind takes control and begins show more to bully its new friend that the fun stops. The fire appeals to the wind to stop but meanwhile they destroy homes and bushland.
The potential for learning from this book is enormous. With limited text it is easy to see the power of verbs and adjectives, deconstruct first person writing and character values. For other learning the literal meaning of the text may lead to endless discussions upon topics of arson leading to Ash Wednesday, or why fire is not always a bad thing in the Australian bush. This story also lends itself to a deeper learning about friendships and the qualities that make successful or unsuccessful relationships – always a current issue in schools.
The beauty of an outstanding picture book is the illustrations that take the story to a level beyond the text, richly enhancing it. That is exactly what happens here. Adam Wallace has excelled in his creation of this story beautifully supported with text and illustrations from Andrew Plant. I have read Spark repeatedly, each time marvelling at the finished product!
The remorse the fire feels when reviewing its ‘play’ is tangible, it is right that it feels shame . . . but it did not work alone. show less

Adam Wallace’s Spark follows, in first person narrative, the story of a little spark that comes into being from a discarded cigarette in the dry bushlands of Australia. Far more than the average children’s tale, Spark, approaches the devastating bushfires of Australia in a unique way, that inspires a sense of empathy and challenges the social norm of blaming the fire itself, rather than the unknown individuals who act in arson or who inadvertently start fires in their carelessness.
The show more story begins with the little spark, who is tempted to come and play by the wind. At first, the spark is happy that it has found a friend who can carry it high and help it fly. The wind helps the spark grow, feeding off the forest, breathing it in and going faster and faster. But the spark soon realises it is going too fast, growing too enormous. It sees the devastation it is causing and wants to stop – but the wind laughs and ignores the spark, who continues to uncontrollably devour everything in its path. Eventually the wind and spark work together to turn around and stop the blaze. But the spark sees the destruction is has caused and in the desolation of its own making, dies down, and goes back to sleep. The spark’s regret and remorse is keenly felt, and reminds us all that without ignition, and without the wind, the fire would never have spread at all. It shows that fire is not inherently evil, and is what it is made to be.
Spark has endless educational possibilities, prompting questions about Australian fire histories, such as Ash Wednesday and Black Saturday, allowing children to easily explore the concept of bushfires in a creative and interesting way. Spark can inspire conversations about how quickly fires can start and spread and can show children that discarding flammable objects can cause serious damage, the tale also reminds readers that fire can also bring about new life, and shows that from the ashes (literally), good things can arise. Wallace writes with a minimalism that allows children to approach this story with ease despite the gravity of the content. The rich and powerful written imagery accompanied with transcendent watercolours from Andrew Plant is stunning, to say the least, with his artwork showing the devastation, and the immense chaotic beauty in the blaze. Profoundly beautiful, Spark is a tale for all ages, adults finding meaning and resolution in the pages, and children learning and identifying with the little spark, who followed its heart and was led astray. show less