Always never always by Meg McKinlay and Leila Rudge

Home grown advice on making your way in the world is given to readers in this funny, light hearted rhyming text by award winning Meg McKinlay, supported by glorious illustrations by Leila Rudge.

A young girl, accompanied by her duck, sets off on an adventure. She is advised to follow a secret track and is unworried about the route taken but being prepared, taking with her the things that she may need. Amongst the things tucked away, she puts a key, because you never know when a key will be a necessary item. When going on an adventure, make sure a friend goes too, and be unfazed if the friend goes more slowly. Wonderful advice for living an adventurous life is given.

Each time a piece of advice is given a proviso is given, so always look for adventure is offered but go with a friend.  Always think ahead but leave some room to breathe. A few never lines are included, as in, never pass up the opportunity to sing a song. Everything offered is grass roots wisdom and words of advice, things that seem basic to all our lives, but may be left unsaid.

MacKinlay shouts these out, enjoining readers to heed the advice, and practise what she offers. In a class, children will love seeing what the girl does. Aware of taking risks, but being careful to think about things, take a friend, sing a song and hug those around you. I loved reading these lines, told simply but having a wealth of meaning behind those words.

And the breathtaking illustrations add another level of interest and meaning for the readers.  Each page shows the girl setting out with her duck, taking risks, but at the same time being aware of what she us doing and keeping safe.

The pencil and watercolour illustrations show a broad sweep of the environment in which the girl lives. Leila Ridge gives the reader a detailed view of the weather, of clouds overhead, off beautiful climbing trees, of waterfalls and gardens of colourful flowers, of the storage cupboardin which the girl starts her journey to the same room when her journey ends. And the lovely endpapers repeat the image of the key, used throughout the book.

Themes: Friendship, Journeys, Adventure, Verse, Wisdom.

Fran Knight