Review Blog

Oct 22 2012

The last dance by Sally Morgan

Little Hare, 2012. Hbk. ISBN 1921714840.
'Corroboree Frog hidden by the autumn leaves he sleeps and dreams of his last dance . . . Dugong through the shallow water she dives escaping the fishermen'.
Through deceptively simple text and the richest of illustrations, one of Australia's most wonderful authors has brought the plight of some of our most vulnerable species to our attention in a spectacular way.
For anyone looking to enhance their environmental awareness collection, this is an essential addition. Every page is crammed with illustrations that invite discovery and discussion. Kindergarten students can be introduced to some of our unique creatures that are not as iconic as the koala or kangaroo; slightly older could investigate the concept of habitat and how creatures adapt to it; while upper primary might investigate what's threatening each creature and what might be done to halt its seemingly inevitable decline to extinction.
To kickstart the learning, at the end of the book there are explanations that focus on how the destruction of habitat is the key threat. But because this is largely caused by human actions, there is hope that it can be alleviated by human intervention. Ms Morgan has cleverly included creatures from a range of habitats and most states and territories so there is also scope for students to become actively involved in their conservation.
This is a book, that, in sensitive hands, could bring the glimmer of hope that these creatures have to reality.
Barbara Braxton