Backyard Magic is an invitation into the magical possibilities of endless hours of fun in your backyard!
When mum turns off the screen Tilly does not know what to do.
Tilly lets herself be guided by a bird song, steps into her backyard to find the cheeping bird and uncovers a realm of playtime fueled by her imagination. She has lots of fun with a stick which keeps on reinventing itself! And the vegetable patch is alive with wondrous creatures.
There is a beautiful spread where Tilly watches the clouds change shape from her resting place in the grass. And, then she’s back to digging and uncovering all sorts of wonderful treasures.
? All the while the bird escapes her view, but the keen reader will be able to spot birdie on every page! ?
While Shurety’s narrative is imaginative and alluring, Hobday’s artwork is stunning! The colour palette is warm and dazzling, bringing the backyard alive in the most amazing way. The end papers are also a treat.
Backyard Magic is a wonderful picture book that will reignite our innate bond with nature and I am so pleased there are books like this one which not only reminds kids to spend time outdoors but shows them there is so much to explore and discover.
For full disclosure, Wenda Shurety is a member of my writing group. For my review of Wenda’s Eva’s Imagination click here.
Published by Affirm Press, 2021
First published by Story House Publishing, 2021