To get to me by Eleanor Kerr

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Ill. by Judith Russell. Random House, 2013. ISBN 9781742758831.
(Age: 4+) Warmly recommended. Picture book. Travel. When Peter rings his friend Ahmed in North Africa to come to the zoo with him, readers will be surprised and entertained at the lengths to which Ahmed must go to to get to Australia. Friendship, travel, different countries around the world, differing modes of transport - all are given a very inviting airing in this highly coloured and decorative book.
Ahmed must first cross the desert to get to a bus, and what better form of transport, than a camel. From the camel he gets to a bus then a plane takes him to Australia, where he catches a train to Sydney Harbour, then a ferry to cross the harbour to get to Taronga Zoo. Transport is still an issue so a chairlift takes him to his friend, Peter.
In rhythmic lines, the different forms of transport are presented to the reader, making this an apt little book to introduce the topic in a junior classroom, or a book at home to talk about different countries in the world and different modes of transport and of course, a trip to the zoo. However it is used, it is a simple, endearing story which will appeal to younger readers and those reading it aloud as well.
Fran Knight

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